t by his expression. I believe, if it hadn't been for the bobby at
the gate, the fellow would have tried to knife me, although my running
him down was quite an accident. I saw his hand fly to his waist-belt,
but I didn't stay to argue with him. I didn't like the looks of the
fellow a little bit, and I have a sort of presentiment that we have not
seen the last of him. He seemed to be taking quite a lot of interest in
the _Quernmore_. Of what nationality do you suppose him to be?"

"That man," answered Drake, "has caused me a heap of anxiety. Ever
since we started loading our cargo, he has been on the watch every day
and all day. I'll wager he counted every chest and case that we took
aboard; and I feel convinced in my own mind that he is a Korean spy. If
so, we may be in for a lot of trouble when we arrive out there; for he
can easily cable, or even get there before us by catching a fast
mail-boat. I tell you candidly that I am not very comfortable about the
business; and I shall be glad to get out of English waters, too, for I
am not quite as clear as I should like to be concerning the law, in its
bearing on cases of this sort. I fancy that the British Government has
the power to stop or delay us, if our Korean friend chooses to represent
in the proper quarters that I am carrying arms to rebels arrayed against
their lawful sovereign."

"If the news should by any means leak out," said Frobisher, "I think
there's no doubt that you will be delayed, if not stopped altogether;
for England does not want a quarrel on her hands with anybody just now,
however insignificant they may be. So we had better keep our weather
eyes lifting, and be prepared for all eventualities."

By the time they cleared the mouth of the river and dropped the pilot,
however, darkness had long since fallen; and Drake hoped that with the
dawn of the morrow he would be far enough down the Channel to be clear
of any danger of recall or overhauling.

To this end he shaped a course that would carry him well over toward the
French coast, determining to run down on that side of the Channel and so
avoid, if possible, any prowling English cruisers. And it was well for
him that he did so; for on the following morning, happening to take a
glance astern through the glass, Frobisher caught sight, about eight
miles distant, of a small gunboat coming along in their wake at
top-speed, and flying a signal of some sort which the ex-naval officer
shrewdly s