show any weakness at this point would be fatal.

"Oh, well, probably it doesn't matter. I'm coming round to some
of your ideas."

Gissing saw that this would never do. Unless he could keep the
master disturbed by philosophic doubts, Scottie would expect to
resume command of the ship.

"Well," he said, "I've been thinking about it, too. I believe I
went a bit too far. But what do you think about this? Do you
believe that Conscience is inherited or acquired? You sea how
important that is. If Conscience is a kind of automatic oracle,
infallible and perfect, what becomes of free will? And if, on the
other hand, Conscience is only a laboriously trained perception
of moral and social utilities, where does your deity come in?"

Gissing was aware that this dilemma would not hold water very
long, and was painfully impromptu; but it hit the Captain
amidships.

"By Jove," he said, "that's terrible, isn't it? It's no use
trying to carry on until I've got that under the hatch. Look
here, would you mind, just as a favour, keep things going while I
wrestle with that question?--I know it's asking a lot, but
perhaps--"

"It's quite all right," Gissing replied. "Naturally you want to
work these things out."