Meanwhile the bustle on the quay increased. Sailors of all nations,
merchants, porters, and fellahs were crowding together. The steamer
was evidently expected shortly.

It was a beautiful day and the east wind cooled the air. The rays of
the sun lighted up the distant minarets of the town. Towards the south
the long jetty extended into the roadstead. A crowd of fishing-boats
dotted the waters of the Red Sea, and amongst them one could perceive
some ships of the ancient build of galleys.

Fix kept moving about amongst the crowd, scrutinising professionally
the countenances of its component members.

It was half-past ten o'clock.

"This steamer is not coming," he said, as he heard the clock strike.

"It can't be far off," said the Consul.

"How long will she stop at Suez?" said Fix.

"Four hours, to take her coal on board. From Suez to Aden it is
thirteen hundred and ten miles, so she is to take in a good supply."

"And from Suez the boat goes directly to Bombay?" asked Fix.

"Direct, without breaking bulk."

"Well," said Fix, "if the thief has taken this route, and by this
steamer, it will no doubt be his little game to land at Suez, so as to
reach the Dutch or French possessions in Asia by some other route. He
must know very well that he would not be safe in India, which is
British territory."

"I don't think he can be a very sharp fellow," replied the Consul,
"for London is the best place to hide in, after all."

The Consul having thus given the detective something to think about,
went away to his office close by. The detective, now alone, became
more and more impatient, as he had some peculiar presentiment that the
robber was on board the _Mongolia_; and if he had left England with
the intention to gain the new world, the route _via_ India, being less
open to observation, or more difficult to watch than the Atlantic
route, would naturally be the one chosen.

The detective was not left long to his reflections. A succession of
shrill whistles denoted the approach of the steamer. The whole crowd
of porters and fellahs hurried towards the quay in a manner somewhat
distressing for the limbs and clothes of the lookers-on. A number of
boats also put off to meet the _Mongolia_.

Her immense hull was soon perceived passing between the banks of the
Canal, and as eleven o'clock was striking she came to an anchor in the
roadstead, while a cloud of steam was blown off from her
safety-valves.

There were a gre