When he glanced at her picture Cartwright's look got thoughtful.

She was one of two sister ships, launched at a famous yard, and Cartwright had wanted both, but the builders demanded terms of payment he could not meet, and another company had bought the vessel.

She was wrecked soon afterwards, and now lay buried in the sand by an African river bar.

The salvage company had given up their efforts to float her, but Cartwright imagined she could be floated if one were willing to run a risk.

But no one, it seemed was willing.