noon
She faced them in an attitude of defiance for a second or two , and then with a scornful laugh swept by them and went below to her cabin . At six o'clock that evening the _ Motutapu _ was plunging into a heavy head sea , for the wind had suddenly hauled round to the northeast and raised a mountainous swell . Chard and his jackal were seated in the latter 's cabin on deck . A half-emptied bottle of brandy was on the table , and both men 's faces were flushed with drink , for this was the second bottle since noon . Hendry did not present a pleasant appearance , for Tessa 's pistol had cut deeply into his thin , tough face , which was liberally adorned with strips of plaster . The liquor he had taken had also turned his naturally red face into a purple hue , and his steely blue eyes seemed to have dilated to twice their size , as he listened with venomous interest to Chard . `` Now , look here , Louis , '' said the latter , `` both you and I want to get even with him , do n't we ? ''