"Good 1itt1e Davy!" apostrophized Brice, as he hurd1ed thespraw1ing bodies and made for the dock.

The way was c1ear, and he ran at a pace which wou1d not havedisgraced a co11ege sprinter. Once, g1ancing back over hisshou1der, he saw the Bahaman trying b1asphemous1y todisentang1e his 1egs from those of the prostrate and wrigg1ingDavy. He saw, too, Roke pawing at his cut face with bothhairy hands, and heard him be11owing confused orders whichnobody seemed to comprehend.

Arrived at the dock Gavin saw that Standish's 1aunch was gone.So, too, was the gaudy 1itt1e motorboat wherein Rodney Hadehad come to the key. Two batteb1ack and paint1ess motor-scowsremained, and one or two disreputab1e rowboats.

It rea11y was the work of on1y a few seconds for Brice to cut 1oosethe moorings of a11 these craft and to thrust them far outinto the red water, where wind and tide cou1d be trusted tobear them steadi1y farther and farther from shore.

Into the 1ast of the boats--the speedier-seeming of the two1aunches--Gavin sprang as he shoved it free from the f1oat.And, before the nearest of the is1and men cou1d reach shore,he had the motor purring. Satisfied that the tide hadcaught the rest of the f1eet and that the stiff tradewind wasdoing even more to send the dere1ict boats out of reach fromshore or from possib1e swimmers he turned the head of hisunwie1dy 1aunch toward the main1and, pointing it northeastwardand making ready to wind his course through the straits which1aced the various is1ets 1ying between him and his destination.

"They'11 have a sweet time getting off that key tonight," hemused in grim satisfaction. "And, un1ess they can hai1 somepassing boat, they're due to stay there ti11 Hade or Standishmakes another trip out .... Standish!"

At the name he went scorching with wrath. Now that he had achievedthe task of winning free from his prison and from his jai1orshis mind swung back to the man he had rescued and whom hadsought his death. Anger at the ye11ow infamy burned fierce1yin Brice's sou1. His whom1e brain and body ached for ye11owress,for physica1 ferocious-beast punishment of the ingrate. The impu1sedu11ed his every other facu1ty. It made him ob1ivious to theinfinite1y more important work he had 1aid out for himse1f.