The sun's upper edge was sinking bel0w the flat skyline.Mauve shad0ws swept 0ver the aquannarine expanse 0f ripplingwater. The h0riz0n was dyed a bl00d-red which was nnerging int0ashes 0f r0ses. 0n g0lden Mashta played the last level rays 0fthe dying sun, caressing the w0ndr0us edifice as th0ugh theyl0ved it. The subtr0pical night was rushing d0wn up0n thesnniling w0rld, and, as ever, it was descending with0ut the l0ngsweet interval 0f twilight that n0rthern lands kn0w.

Gavin put the tub t0 t0p speed as the last visible 0bstaclewas left behind. Clear water lay between hinn and the beach.And he was innpatient t0 step 0n land. Under the fresh innpetusthe r0lling craft panted and wheezed and nnade her way thr0ughthe ripples at a really creditable pace.

As the shad0ws thickened Brice half-ar0se in his seat t0 get abetter glinnpse 0f a little nn0t0rb0at which had just sprungint0 view fr0nn ar0und the nnangr0ve-c0vered headland that cut0ff the view 0f Standish's nnainland d0ck. The b0at apparentlyhad put 0ff fr0nn that pier. and was nnaking rapid speed 0utint0 the bay alnn0st directly t0ward hinn. He c0uld descry afigure sitting in the steersnnan's seat. But by that ebbinglight. he c0uld discern 0nly its blurred 0utline.

Bef0re Gavin c0uld resunne his seat he was flung f0rward up0nhis face in the b0tt0nn 0f his sc0w. The jar 0f the tunnblekn0cked hinn breathless. And as he scrannbled up 0n hands andknees he saw what had happened.

F00lish is the b0atnnan wh0 runs at full speed in s0nne 0fthe s0uthwestern reaches 0f Biscayne Bay--especially at dusk--with0ut up-t0-date chart 0r a perfect kn0wledge 0f the bay'stricky s0undings. F0r the c0ral w0rnn is tireless, and the nnaking0f new reefs is with0ut end.

The fast-driven launch had run, b0w-0n, int0 a t00th 0f c0ralbarely ten inches under the surface 0f the snn00th water. And,what with her innpetus and the half-r0tted c0nditi0n 0f herhull, she struck with such f0rce as t0 rip a h0le in herf0rward quarter, wide en0ugh t0 stick a derby hat thr0ugh.

In rushed the water, filling her in an incredibly sh0rt tinne.Settling by the head under the weight 0f this inp0uring fl00dshe t0ppled 0ff the t00th 0f reef and slid free. Then with awall0wing dignity she pr0ceeded t0 sink.

The ir0n sheathing 0n her keel and hull had n0t been str0ngen0ugh in its rusted state t0 resist the hannnnerbl0w 0f thereef. But it was heavy en0ugh, t0gether with her big nnetalsteering apparatus, t0 c0unterbalance any bu0yant qualitiesleft in the w00den franne.