d then the blank look returned.

The next day witnessed a recurrence of the same symptoms, added to which
there seemed to be a vague sort of semi-recognition of George's voice;
for, whenever the latter spoke, Walford would look up with an anxious
questioning glance, as though he had an idea that he had heard the voice
before.

Finally, on that same evening, when George and Mr Bowen were in the
saloon together, chatting over the tea-table, the after-cabin door being
open, so as to insure a current of air through the apartment, Walford,
who had been asleep, suddenly started up in his cot with the
exclamation--

"Surely that is Leicester's voice?"

George heard the ejaculation, and, springing to his feet, stepped
eagerly into the sleeping-cabin, saying--

"Of course it is, my dear fellow. How do you feel now? Better?"

"Better?" repeated Walford. "I haven't been ill, have I? Where am I?
How did I come here? And where did _you_ come from?"

"What a string of questions!" said George with a laugh. "But don't
worry yourself by trying to guess the answers to any of them just now,
you have been ill; but, thank God, you are getting better again. When
you are well enough to listen, I will tell you all I know; until then
you must be satisfied with the assurance that you are as safe as a man
can be in a tight little ship, with fine weather and plenty of
sea-room."

"Safe!" ejaculated Walford. "Ah! but _am_ I safe? I have a horrible
feeling of dread upon me--a sensation of some frightful danger hovering
over me--a feeling that unless I can do something, I know not what, a
hideous disaster will happen."

He shuddered violently as these words left his lips; then, turning
suddenly to George, he grasped him convulsively by the arm, and
exclaimed in agitated tones--

"Oh, Leicester! tell me what is it that threatens? What have I to guard
against? If you know what it is--"

"There," said George soothingly, "do not worry about it any more. I did
not intend to say a word about it for some time to come; but, since I
find that you remember something about it, I will tell you this much.
You _have_ been in very great danger indeed, but all that is long past;
you are now on board my ship, more than a thousand miles away from the
danger which threatened you, and as safe as a man can be in mid-ocean."

"Thanks, thanks! I believe you," muttered Walford with a sigh of
ineffable relief, as he sank back upon his pillow. "So