lady friend seems to think it impossible that she
could have been mistaken, but as a matter of fact she was. If I might take
the liberty, Mr. Quest, I would suggest that you ask her, at any rate, to
keep her suspicions to herself."

"I'll see she doesn't talk," Quest promised. "Very sorry to have given you
all this trouble, I'm sure."

"It's no trouble," the Captain replied, "and apart from the disagreeable
nature of your business, I am delighted to have you on board. If you can
forget your suspicions about this fellow Craig, I shall do my best to make
your trip a pleasant one as far as Port Said, or on to India if you decide
to take the trip with me."

"Very good of you, Captain, I'm sure," Quest pronounced. "We shall go on
keeping our eyes open, of course, but apart from that we'll forget the
fellow."

The Captain nodded.

"I am coming down to dinner to-night," he announced, "and shall hope to
find you in your places. What the mischief are you hanging about for,
Brown?" he asked, turning to the steward, who was standing by with a
carpet-sweeper in his hand.

"Room wants cleaning out badly, sir."

The Captain glanced distastefully at the carpet-sweeper.

"Do it when I am at dinner, then," he ordered, "and take that damned thing
away."

The steward obeyed promptly. Quest and Harris followed him down the deck.

"Queer-looking fellow, that," the latter remarked. "Doesn't seem quite at
his ease, does he?"

"Seemed a trifle over-anxious, I thought, when he was showing us round the
ship," Quest agreed.

"M-m," Harris murmured softly, "as the gentleman who wrote the volume of
detective stories I am reading puts it, we'd better keep our eye on
Brown."...

The Captain, who was down to dinner unusually early, rose to welcome
Quest's little party and himself arranged the seats.

"You, Miss Lenora," he said, "will please sit on my left, and you, Miss
Laura, on my right. Mr. Quest, will you sit on the other side of Miss
Laura, and Mr. Harris two places down on my left. There is an old lady who
expects to be at the table, but the steward tells me she hasn't been in
yet."

They settled down into the places arranged for them. Harris was looking a
little glum. Lenora and Quest exchanged a meaning glance.

"I'm not sure that I appreciate this arrangement," Harris whispered to his
neighbour.

"You may be candid," Lenora replied, "but you aren't very polite, are
you?"

Harris almost blushed as he realized his slip