erywhere. If there had been
only two boats we probably would have found out our misfortune, and
perhaps would have set it straight. As it was, we couldn't tell that it
was the same boat that had hailed us."

He broke off for a moment, and then added quietly:

"Two boats reached the schooners. There was a nasty sea running then,
and it blew viciously hard next day. There were three men in the other."

"Ah!" cried Agatha, "they were drowned?"

Wyllard made a forceful gesture. "I'm not quite sure. That's the
trouble. At least, the boat was nowhere on the beach next day, and it's
difficult to see how the men could have faced the sea that piled up when
the gale came down. In all probability, they had an oar short, and the
boat rolled them out when a comber broke upon her in the darkness." The
girl saw him close one hand tight as he added, "If one only knew!"

"What would have befallen them if they had reached shore?"

"It's difficult to say. They could have been handed over to the Russian
authorities. Still, sealers poaching up there have simply disappeared."

He stopped again, and glanced out at the gathering darkness. "Now," he
concluded, "you see why I hate the fog."

"But you couldn't help it," said Agatha.

"Well," answered Wyllard, "I asked for volunteers, and the money that is
now mine came out of those schooners. It's just possible those men are
living still--somewhere in Northern Asia. I only know that they
disappeared."

He abruptly began to talk of something else, and by and by Agatha went
down to the saloon, where Miss Rawlinson, who had not been much in
evidence during the voyage, presently made her appearance.

"Aren't you going into the music-room to play for Mr. Wyllard--as
usual?" she inquired.

Agatha was disconcerted. She had fallen into the habit of spending half
an hour or longer in the little music-room every evening, with Wyllard
standing near the piano; but now her friend's question seemed to place a
significance upon the fact.

"No," she replied, "I don't think I am."

"Then the rest of them will wonder whether you have fallen out with
him."

"Fallen out with him?"

Winifred laughed. "They've naturally been watching both of you, and, in
a general way, there's only one decision they could have arrived at."

Agatha flushed a little, but Winifred went on.

"I don't mind admitting that if a man of that kind was to fall in love
with me, I'd black his boots for him," she said. She add