"Since there is no other way out of it, I will do as you
desire, provided you will give me your assurance that the stuff is
harmless."

"It is quite harmless," replied MacAndrew; and then, with an air of
braggadocio that could be easily seen was assumed, Maas tossed off the
decoction, and, having done so, seated himself on the settee. A
quarter of an hour later he was in his bunk, fast asleep, and Jimmy was
sitting by his side in the capacity of sick-nurse.

"You had better bear in mind the fact that he has been ill for the past
week," MacAndrew remarked, before he left the cabin. "He caught a
chill through falling asleep on deck, and pneumonia has set in. Now I
shall retire to join my friend in the tunnel, and leave you to your own
devices. Don't forget to let me know, Mr. Browne, as soon as the
Russian has bidden you farewell."

"You may depend on me," Browne answered; and, as he spoke, the captain
hailed him from the deck above, to inform him that the boat was coming
alongside.

CHAPTER XXIX

It would be idle to say that Browne will never forget his feelings,
when the hail reached him from the deck, announcing the fact that a
boat from the Russian man-o'-war was coming alongside. It was the most
desperate moment of his life; and there are times, even now, when only
to dream of it is sufficient to bring him wide awake with a cold sweat
upon his forehead. As he heard it, he turned to Jimmy, who was leaning
over the bunk in which Maas lay, and said anxiously:--

"I suppose I may leave him to you, Jimmy? You will take care that they
don't get any information out of him?"

"You may trust me for that," Jimmy replied, and there was a look of
determination in his face as he said it, that boded ill for any attempt
Maas might make to communicate with the enemy. "I hope for his own
sake that he won't wake while they are here. Jack, my son, this is
going to be a big deal for all of us. Keep your head while they're
aboard, or you'll be in Queer Street."

Thereupon they shook hands solemnly.

"Thank Heaven, I've got you with me, old chap," continued Browne
fervently. "You don't know what a relief it is to me to know that.
Now I must go and warn Miss Petrovitch and Madame Bernstein."

"Good-bye, old fellow," said Foote. "Good luck go with you."

Browne glanced again at Maas, then he went out, closing the door behind
him, and made his way through the saloon in the direction of
Katherine's cabin. He