asions count for anything--and
I've facts to go on, you know--you'll have the American fleet to deal
with at the same time as the English, and I fancy that will be a trifle
more than you can chew up, eh? I'm going back to America a little
earlier than I anticipated. Of course, they'll laugh at me at first in
Washington. They don't believe much in these round-table conferences and
European plots. But all the same I've got some friends there. We'll try
and remember this amiable little statement of policy of yours, Mr.
Selingman. Nothing like being warned, you know."

Mr. Grex rose from his place.

"Sir," he said, "since we have been and are your unwilling guests, will
you be so good as to arrange for us at once to relieve you of our
presence?"

"Well, I'm not so sure about that," Richard remarked, meditatively. "I
think I'd contribute a good deal to the comfort and happiness of this
generation if I took you all out to sea and dropped you overboard, one
by one."

"As I presume you have no such intention," Mr. Grex persisted, "I repeat
that we should be glad to be allowed to land."

Richard abandoned his indolent posture and stood facing them.

"You came on board, gentlemen, without my invitation," he reminded them.
"You will leave my ship when I choose--and that," he added, "is not just
at present."

"Do you mean that we are to consider ourselves your prisoners?"
Draconmeyer asked, with an acid smile.

"Certainly not--my guests," Richard replied, with a bow. "I can assure
you that it will only be a matter of a few hours."

Monsieur Douaille hammered the table with his fist.

"Young man," he exclaimed, "I leave with you! I insist upon it that I am
permitted to leave. I am not a party to this conference. I am merely a
guest, a listener, here wholly in my private capacity. I will not be
associated with whatever political scandal may arise from this affair. I
demand permission to leave at once."

"Seems to me there's something in what you say," Richard admitted. "Very
well, you can come along. I dare say Hunterleys will be glad to have a
chat with you. As for the rest of you," he concluded, as Monsieur
Douaille rose promptly to his feet, "I have a little business to arrange
on land which I think I could manage better whilst you are at sea. I
shall therefore, gentlemen, wish you good evening. Pray consider my
yacht entirely at your disposal. My stewards will be only too happy to
execute any orders--supper, breakfa