may as well settle it now," he added firmly, thinking again of the innocent sleeper in the state-room; "the only thing I have to ask is not to let him know any thing till the last minute."
Thereupon Belmont drew in his breath with an oath. He was defied! Nevertheless, he seemed to have planned his attack strongly enough after all to hold fast by it against Philip's straightforward story. Indeed, Philip even in cooler hours afterward never could decide exactly how far the man might have gone.
"As you please!" he exclaimed. "I will ask Captain Widgins and Mr. Arrowsmith, the mate, to meet us in the cabin. Stay—I give you one more choice! Make up your mind; it is your last chance. I don't know why I think enough of the fraud you are, to wait a second longer. Will you give in and go ashore with the boy and me to-morrow at Martha's Vineyard?"
Belmont may or may not have expected Philip to yield. But Philip was not called upon to utter the resolute "No, I will not!" that was upon his lips. Just as he opened them to speak, the awful shock and thrill of what each at once realized must be some
