r, because I thought, that
if you knew, you would disapprove."

"It only goes to show how little we know our true friends," continued
Maas. "If you feel that you can trust me now, do not let us have any
more half-measures. Let me be with you hand and glove, or put me
ashore somewhere, and get me out of the way. I don't want to push
myself in where I am not wanted."

Browne was genuinely touched. "My dear old fellow," he answered,
putting his hand on Maas's shoulder, "I must confess I feel as if I had
treated you very badly. If you are really disposed to help me, I shall
be only too glad of your assistance. It's a big job, and a hideously
risky one. I don't know what on earth I shall do if we fail."

Then, in the innocence of his heart, Browne told him as much of their
arrangements as he had revealed to Jimmy Foote. Maas expressed his
sympathy, and forthwith propounded several schemes for getting the
unhappy man to a place of safety, when they had got him on board the
yacht. He went so far as to offer to land on the island, and to make
his way into the interior in the hope of being able to render some
assistance should it be necessary.

"Well, you know your own business best," said Jimmy Foote to Browne,
when the latter had informed him of the discovery he had made. "But I
can't say that I altogether like the arrangement. If he had guessed
our secret, why didn't he let us know that he knew it? It seems to me
that there is a little bit of underhand work somewhere."

"I think you are misjudging him," returned Browne; "upon my word I do.
Of one thing there can be no sort of doubt, and that is, that whatever
he may have known, he is most anxious to help."

"Is he?" exclaimed Jimmy, in a tone that showed that he was still more
than a little sceptical concerning Maas's good intentions. "I don't
set up to be much of a prophet; but I am willing to go so far as to
offer to lay a hundred pounds to a halfpenny, that we shall find he has
been hoodwinking us somewhere before we've done."

Jimmy spoke with such unusual gravity that Browne looked at him in
surprise. "Oh, you may look," answered Jimmy; "but you won't stare
away what I think. Browne, old man," he continued, "you and I were at
school together; we have been pals for a very long time; and I'm not
going to see you, just when you're booked to settle down happily with
your wife, and become a respectable member of society, upset and spoil
everything by a