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Something to swim for。 I went on easily； and on the way I came
upon a flat rock a foot or two above water。 In the daytime；
I dare say； you might make it out with a glass from your poop。
I scrambled up on it and rested myself for a bit。
Then I made another start。 That last spell must have been
over a mile。〃
His whisper was getting fainter and fainter； and all the time
he stared straight out through the porthole； in which there
was not even a star to be seen。 I had not interrupted him。
There was something that made comment impossible in his narrative；
or perhaps in himself； a sort of feeling； a quality； which I can't find
a name for。 And when he ceased； all I found was a futile whisper：
〃So you swam for our light？〃
〃Yesstraight for it。 It was something to swim for。
I couldn't see any stars low down because the coast was in the way；
and I couldn't see the land； either。 The water was like glass。
One might have been swimming in a confounded thousand…feet deep
cistern with no place for scrambling out anywhere； but what I didn't
like was the notion of swimming round and round like a crazed
bullock before I gave out； and as I didn't mean to go back。
。 。 No。 Do you see me being hauled back； stark naked；
off one of these little islands by the scruff of the neck
and fighting like a wild beast？ Somebody would have got killed
for certain； and I did not want any of that。 So I went on。
Then your ladder〃
〃Why didn't you hail the ship？〃 I asked； a little louder。
He touched my shoulder lightly。 Lazy footsteps came right over our heads
and stopped。 The second mate had crossed from the other side of the poop
and might have been hanging over the rail for all we knew。
〃He couldn't hear us talkingcould he？〃 My double breathed
into my very ear； anxiously。
His anxiety was in answer； a sufficient answer； to the question
I had put to him。 An answer containing all the difficulty
of that situation。 I closed the porthole quietly； to make sure。
A louder word might have been overheard。
〃Who's that？〃 he whispered then。
〃My second mate。 But I don't know much more of the fellow than you do。〃
And I told him a little about myself。 I had been appointed to take
charge while I least expected anything of the sort； not quite
a fortnight ago。 I didn't know either the ship or the people。
Hadn't had the time in port to look about me or size anybody up。
And as to the crew； all they knew was that I was appointed to take
the ship home。 For the rest； I was almost as much of a stranger on
board as himself； I said。 And at the moment I felt it most acutely。
I felt that it would take very little to make me a suspect person
in the eyes of the ship's company。
He had turned about meantime； and we； the two strangers in the ship；
faced each other in identical attitudes。
〃Your ladder〃 he murmured； after a silence。 〃Who'd have thought
of finding a ladder hanging over at night in a ship anchored out here！
I felt just then a very unpleasant faintness。 After the life I've
been leading for nine weeks； anybody would have got out of condition。
I wasn't capable of swimming round as far as your rudder chains。
And； lo and behold！ there was a ladder to get hold of。
After I gripped it I said to myself； ‘What's the good？'
When I saw a man's head looking over I thought I would swim away
presently and leave him shoutingin whatever language it was。
I didn't mind being looked at。 II liked it。 And then you speaking to me
so quietlyas if you had expected memade me hold on a little longer。
It had been a confounded lonely timeI don't mean while swimming。
I was glad to talk a little to somebody that didn't belong to the Sephora。
As to asking for the captain； that was a mere impulse。 It could
have been no use； with all the ship knowing about me and the other
people pretty certain to be round here in the morning。 I don't know
I wanted to be seen； to talk with somebody； before I went on。
I don't know what I would have said。 。 。 。 ‘Fine night； isn't it？'
or something of the sort。〃
〃Do you think they will be round here presently？〃
I asked with some incredulity。
〃Quite likely；〃 he said； faintly。
〃He looked extremely haggard all of a sudden。 His head rolled
on his shoulders。
〃H'm。 We shall see then。 Meantime get into that bed；〃 I whispered。
〃Want help？ There。〃
It was a rather high bed place with a set of drawers underneath。
This amazing swimmer really needed the lift I gave him by seizing his leg。
He tumbled in； rolled over on his back； and flung one arm across his eyes。
And then； with his face nearly hidden； he must have looked exactly as I used
to look in that bed。 I gazed upon my other self for a while before drawing
across carefully the two green serge curtains which ran on a brass rod。
I thought for a moment of pinning them together for greater safety；
but I sat down on the couch； and once there I felt unwilling to rise
and hunt for a pin。 I would do it in a moment。 I was extremely tired；
in a peculiarly intimate way； by the strain of stealthiness；
by the effort of whispering and the general secrecy of this excitement。
It was three o'clock by now and I had been on my feet since nine；
but I was not sleepy； I could not have gone to sleep。 I sat there；
fagged out； looking at the curtains； trying to clear my mind of the confused
sensation of being in two places at once； and greatly bothered by an
exasperating knocking in my head。 It was a relief to discover suddenly
that it was not in my head at all； but on the outside of the door。
Before I could collect myself the words 〃Come in〃 were out of my mouth；
and the steward entered with a tray； bringing in my morning coffee。
I had slept； after all； and I was so frightened that I shouted；
〃This way！ I am here； steward；〃 as though he had been miles away。
He put down the tray on the table next the couch and only then said；
very quietly； 〃I can see you are here； sir。〃 I felt him give me a keen look；
but I dared not meet his eyes just then。 He must have wondered why I
had drawn the curtains of my bed before going to sleep on the couch。
He went out； hooking the door open as usual。
I heard the crew washing decks above me。 I knew I would have
been told at once if there had been any wind。 Calm； I thought；
and I was doubly vexed。 Indeed； I felt dual more than ever。
The steward reappeared suddenly in the doorway。
I jumped up from the couch so quickly that he gave a start。
〃What do you want here？〃
〃Close your port； sirthey are washing decks。〃
〃It is closed；〃 I said； reddening。
〃Very well； sir。〃 But he did not move from the doorway and returned
my stare in an extraordinary； equivocal manner for a time。
Then his eyes wavered； all his expression changed； and in a voice
unusually gentle； almost coaxingly：
〃May I come in to take the empty cup away； sir？〃
〃Of course！〃 I turned my back on him while he popped in and out。
Then I unhooked and closed the door and even pushed the bolt。
This sort of thing could not go on very long。 The cabin was as hot
as an oven； too。 I took a peep at my double； and discovered
that he had not moved； his arm was still over his eyes； but his
chest heaved； his hair was wet； his chin glistened with perspiration。
I reached over him and opened the port。
〃I must show myself on deck；〃 I reflected。
Of course； theoretically； I could do what I liked； with no
one to say nay to me within the whole circle of the horizon；
but to lock my cabin door and take the key away I did not dare。
Directly I put my head out of the companion I saw the group
of my two officers； the second mate barefooted； the chief
mate in long India…rubber boots； near the break of the poop；
and the steward halfway down the poop ladder talking to them eagerly。
He happened to catch sight of me and dived； the second
ran down on the main…deck shouting some order or other；
and the chief ma