It must be open war from now on.

No pretense on my part would ever again win me the confidence of the man I had fought and conquered.

Henceforward, we could expect no mercy on board.

Yet how was it possible to escape, or avoid discovery?
To attempt leaving the _Sea Gull_ before dark would be suicidal; no boat could be lowered unseen, and even if one reached the surface of the water, we would surely be overtaken, and brought back.
Yet there was a chance that what had occurred in this cabin could be kept concealed for a few hours, until darkness gave us better opportunity for successful action.

The memory of what Henley had said to me the evening before--that he was only technically in command; that for days at a time he never appeared on deck in person, gave me the clew.