u leave her for a few moments?"

"I will speak to her," Browne answered, and accordingly went back to
Katherine. A moment later he rejoined Foote.

"Now then, what is it?" he cried almost fiercely. "What fresh
treachery am I to discover?"

"Come to the smoking-room," Jimmy began. "I can't tell you here on
deck, with all the world trying to overhear what I have to say."

When they reached the cabin in question Browne discovered MacAndrew
there, sitting on one of the marble tables and smoking a cigarette.

"I don't know what you think about it, Mr. Browne," remarked the
latter; "but it strikes me now, that we have come very well out of that
little encounter with our Muscovite friend over yonder. The idea
they've got in their heads is that the runaway and myself are not on
board; and if I know anything of their tactics, they will patrol the
coast for the next week or ten days in the expectation of your coming
back to pick us up."

"I wish them joy of their stay," Browne replied. "By the time they're
tired of it we shall be safely out of reach. But what is it you have
to say to me, Jimmy? You didn't bring me here to talk about the
cruiser, I suppose?"

"I did not," said Jimmy, with a great show of importance. "I brought
you to talk about something far more interesting. Look here, old man,
I don't, of course, know what your feelings may be; but I've got a sort
of a notion that--well, to put it in plain words--that you're none too
pleased with your prospective father-in-law. He doesn't quite come up
to your idea of the man whom you had been told suffered martyrdom for
his country's good--eh?"

"I have never said that I disapproved of him," Browne retorted. "I
don't know why you should have got this notion into your head."

"You're very loyal, I must say, old man," continued Jimmy; "but that
cat won't fight--not for an instant. Any one could see that. No, no;
I know as well as if you had told me, that you're as miserable as a man
can well be, and so is Miss Petrovitch. I don't wonder at it. I
expect I should be as bad if I were likely to be blessed with such a
papa. I should be inclined to wish him back again in the wilds of
Saghalien."

"Oh, for Heaven's sake, get on with what you've got to say!" cried
Browne. "Why do you keep me on the rack like this?"

Jimmy, however, was not to be hurried. He had never had such a hand to
play before, and he was determined to make the most of it.

"It was Ma