"What do you say of a ship that carries no light at all?"
"Must a ship always hang out her signals, man?"
"Ay—" said Mr. Linden,—"else she may run down the weaker craft, or be run down by the stronger."
"Suppose she don't know, in good truth, what light belongs to her?"
"It is safe to find out."
"Who has told you, Linden, that I believed or disbelieved anything?"
"Yourself."
"May I ask, if any other testimony has aided your judgment, or come in aid of it?"
"No," said Mr. Linden, looking at him with a grave, considering eye. "I am not much in the habit of discussing such points with third parties."
The doctor bit his lip; and then smiled.