"It may be fairly fixed by lot," replied Monsieur Thuran. "I have
a number of franc pieces in my pocket. We can choose a certain
date from among them--the one to draw this date first from beneath
a piece of cloth will be the first."

"I shall have nothing to do with any such diabolical plan," muttered
Clayton; "even yet land may be sighted or a ship appear--in time."

"You will do as the majority decide, or you will be `the first'
without the formality of drawing lots," said Monsieur Thuran
threateningly. "Come, let us vote on the plan; I for one am in
favor of it. How about you, Spider?" "And I," replied the sailor.

"It is the will of the majority," announced Monsieur Thuran, "and
now let us lose no time in drawing lots. It is as fair for one
as for another. That three may live, one of us must die perhaps
a few hours sooner than otherwise."

Then he began his preparation for the lottery of death, while Jane
Porter sat wide-eyed and horrified at thought of the thing that
she was about to witness. Monsieur Thuran spread his coat upon the
bottom of the boat, and then from a handful of money he selected
six franc pieces. The other two men bent close above him as he
inspected them. Finally he handed them all to Clayton.

"Look at them carefully," he said. "The oldest date is
eighteen-seventy-five, and there is only one of that year."

Clayton and the sailor inspected each coin. To them there seemed
not the slightest difference that could be detected other than the