This question of the lights being lost sight of when the boat could not have been more than a quarter of a mile from the ship was a matter for much discussion.

Jim stuck to it that there was nothing to be seen after the first shower had cleared away; and the others had affirmed the same thing to the officers of the Avondale.

Of course people shook their heads and smiled.

One old skipper who sat near me in court tickled my ear with his white beard to murmur, "Of course they would lie." As a matter of fact nobody lied; not even the chief engineer with his story of the mast-head light dropping like a match you throw down.

Not consciously, at least.