That night, as they sat in the tent smoking, Gaspard approached the object of his grievance.

“Look here,” he said, “we have got the boat across the island and afloat in the lagoon. We have got the diving apparatus in her ready for working. Nothing remains to be done but start work to-morrow morning.”

“Yes.”

“Well, before we start work, I have a word to say.”

“Yes?”

“It’s about the terms of our agreement.”

“Yes?”

“I am to have fifteen francs out of every hundred francs you make?”

“Those were the terms.”

“Well, it seems to me not enough.”

Sagesse gave a short laugh. “How, not enough?”

“Who discovered the ship?”

“Your friend, Yves—so you told me.”

“Yes, but as a matter of fact, we both discovered it, for if he had not done so I would have at the first low tide I was over there.”

“Well, go on,” said Sagesse. “What are you driving at?”

“I say fifteen per cent. is not enough. I want thirty.”

“Oh, you want thirty, do you?”

241 “Yes.”

“You want Monsieur Yves’ share as well as your own?”

“Exactly.”

“That seems to me not unjust,” said Sagesse in a meditative tone.

“I would not ask you if it were unjust.”

“Yet, it seems to me,” said Sagesse, “that the conditions accompanying Monsieur Yves’ death make a difference. You killed this man, yet you wish to inherit his share. How about his relations?”

“How about the relations of Pedro, whom you killed?” asked Gaspard.

“Exactly,” replied Sagesse. “You have me there, it seems; you have me in a corner, it seems.............