He reached the sternsheets and sat down between Quinn and Couzens. Their three ages added together only came to fifty-two. The ridiculous thought made him chuckle, and lie felt the others turning towards him.

They think me already unhinged. I have lost sight of Sparke, and am probably steering in quite the wrong direction.

He explained, 'I am sorry. It was just a thought.' I-le took a deep breath of the wet salt air. 'But getting away from the ship is reward enough.' He spread his arms and saw Stockdale give his lopsided grin. 'Freedom to do what we w=_ Right or wrong.'

Quinn nodded. 'I think I understand.'

Bolitho said, 'Your father will be proud of you after Ah' 7f we live that long.

Cairns had explained to Bolitho what Quinn had meant about his family being in the leather trade. Bolitho had imagined it to be a tanyard of the kind they had in Falmouth. Bridles and saddles, shoes and straps. Cairns had almost laughed. 'Man, his father belongs to an all-powerful city company. He has contracts with the Army, and influence everywhere else! When I look at young Quinn I sometimes marvel at his audacity to refuse all that power and all that money! He must be either brave or mad to exchange it for this!'

A large fish broke surface nearby and flopped back into the water again, making Couzens and some of the others gasp with alarm.

'Easy all!' Bolitho held up his arm to still the oars,

Again he was very conscious of the sea, of their isolation, as the oars rose dripping and motionless along the gunwales. H-e heard the gurgle of water around the rudder as the boat idled forward into the swell. The splash of another fish, the heavy breathing of the oarsmen.

Then Quinn said in a whisper, 'I hear the odh~cr cutter, sir!'

Bolitho nodded, turning his face to starbcard, picking upp the muffled creak of oars. Sparke was keeping about.,,- sat npace and distance. He said, 'Give way all!'