A Hero for Leanda

on, and asked a good many questions. It was clear that he knew next to nothing about sailing or boats, but he seemed willing to learn.
    At two, they picked up their first news bulletin, from the small radio station on Heureuse. The story was out, but the information was thin. All the announcer said was that Kastella had disappeared overnight from the bungalow where he had been living, and that a search was being made throughout the island. No mention was made of Thalia.
    “Official discretion!” Kastella said, as Leanda switched off and they rejoined Conway in the cockpit. “Would I have run off into the bush in pajamas and a dressing gown? We must listen again.”
    “I suppose they’re trying to make up their minds what to say,” Leanda said. “Can you imagine what a state they must be in! ”
    Kastella chuckled. “They used to call me ‘the emperor,’ you know—a silly title, but it amused them. I doubt if it occurred to anyone that their little island might become an Elba ! It’s a pleasing thought.”
    Conway said, “I suppose Sergeant Bates is a constable again by now!”
    They sailed on all day in a quiet sea. It was much hotter than it had been on the outward journey, and the saloon was stifling. Leanda was wearing the minimum of clothes, and Kastella had stripped down to cotton swimming trunks, revealing a magnificent, bronzed body that made Conway ’s muscular torso look almost puny. Conway had promised to give him some sailing lessons when they’d got a little further from Heureuse, but at the moment there was nothing for him to do and he spent a good deal of time in Leanda’s old place, up on the foredeck, where he was out of the way and could catch all the breeze there was. Leanda and Conway were again standing regular watches. Leanda was having a bit more difficulty with the yacht now, for the breeze was fickle, changing both its direction and its strength without warning. But mainly it was light, and Conway was able to leave her for a while in the afternoon, and get some sleep. When he checked the log at six, he found they had covered thirty-seven miles in their twelve hours of daylight sailing. Star sights put them some miles short of that—the eastgoing current that had helped them so much on the way out was now against them. But he felt reasonably satisfied. A northwesterly course had taken them well away from the direct approaches to Heureuse, and the sea around them was empty.
    Kastella helped Leanda prepare the supper, and they had the usual two-service meal. Afterward, as the three of them sat in the cockpit, Kastella raised the subject of the night’s arrangements. “Where would you like me to go?” he asked.
    “You’d better take the forecabin for the time being,” Conway said.
    “Really?” Kastella looked a little surprised. “I’d have thought Leanda should have the forecabin. It is, after all, the only place with any privacy.”
    “I’ll be wanting her help,” Conway said shortly. “I’d sooner have her handy.”
    “But she can easily reach you from the forecabin whenever you want her. It seems to me by far the most sensible arrangement.... You’d prefer the forecabin, Leanda, wouldn’t you?”
    Leanda glanced at Conway . “Mike’s the boss,” she said. “Anyway we’re both used to the saloon.”
    Kastella shrugged. “Very well—though it does seem to me an inconvenient arrangement.” After a moment he got up and went below to stow his things.
    Conway said, “What’s his idea?” in a fierce tone.
    “He was only trying to be considerate, Mike.”
    “Well, he’d better mind his own business—I’m not going to have him interfering in the running of the ship.”
    “Of course not—but I’m sure he meant well. There’s nothing to be cross about.... Oh, Mike, isn’t it wonderful that we’ve got away!”

    The wind continued light throughout the night, and the alternating watches went smoothly. Conway had quite recovered his equanimity, now that Kastella was safely out of the way, and he spent the greater part of one of his two-hour off-duty spells sitting contentedly beside Leanda under the stars. By morning they had clocked another twenty-six miles. Conway decided that they were simply wasting time by continuing on a northwesterly course any longer, and turned Thalia’s head due west again. Even Kastella, when he appeared on deck at seven, agreed that the emptiness of the ocean was reassuring. He seemed to be in a very amiable mood. After