t into the cold fog.

"My God, what an experience!" said Shorty. "What a lucky thing I
looked in the wardrobe. We might have been given up to the police as
the murderers; and that lady, as we thought, what a demon she must be
to be connected with such."

"My dear fellow," said the second mate, "don't say anything wrong
against the lady. How do we know but she is a prisoner, or in some way
beholden to the rascal. What a strange thing she never appeared. I
wonder if she was there. She must have been, as we heard voices."

"That's right enough," said the boatswain; "but was it her voice?"

"I never thought of that, Shorty. What d'ye say if we go back and try
and learn more about this mysterious affair?"

"Not me," said Shorty; "I've had enough of this kind of experience."

"But," remonstrated the officer, "suppose the lady is in captivity?"

"Never mind that, boss. I don't care if there were twenty blessed
women in captivity. I'm not going back, because I thinks the lady is
in the swim."

"Nonsense, Shorts. She is an educated woman!"

"Yes; and I've heard, boss, of educated women doin' funny things. How
d'ye know but it's her husband that's in the wardrobe, gov'nor? No,
no; I knows some of these 'ere ladies, and I'm not a-going to mix
myself up with them. And if you takes my advice you'll stick to me and
get aboard as soon as we can. And keep this 'ere affair mum, or we may
have a visit from some of her Majesty's detectives."

"Well," ejaculated James Leigh, "it is a mystery, and must remain such
so far as we are concerned. But I am tempted to tell the police, as I
feel certain that woman cannot be there of her own free will."

"Woman be d----d, boss! How do you know, as I said before, that she's
not at the bottom of it? You never knew an affair like this that a
woman had not her hand in it; and if you are going to give
information, don't introduce your humble servant, who has his own
ideas of this 'ere person."

The young fellows had talked on ever since they left the tomb of the
dead, unheeding the direction in which they were going. When the fog
cleared they found themselves amidst the East End slums, environed by
all that was villainous. They were not long in winding their way
aboard the _Betty Sharp_. The night's exploits made a deep impression
on James Leigh; it caused him to review the Bohemian career he had
lived ever since he ran away from the _Pacific_ in Chili. He resolved
to pay a visit to his hom