y sea. The destroyer
stopped, and a white speck on the eastward horizon rapidly grew into the
white shape of a large yacht flying through the water at a tremendous
speed. In a few minutes she was almost alongside. She swung round in a
sharp curve, slowed down and dropped a boat. Oscarovitch and the
lieutenant lowered the destroyer's boat till it touched the water. The
other came alongside, and the body of Prince Zastrow was transferred to
it, and Oscarovitch followed it. Four men from the yacht's boat jumped
on board the destroyer and hauled hers up. The other was backed to the
ladder and they came on board. A silent salute passed between
Oscarovitch and the lieutenant, and a few minutes later the yacht's boat
was hoisted to the davits, and the white shape was growing smaller and
dimmer amidst the light haze that lay on the water shimmering under the
slanting rays of the rising sun.

Morning grew into noon, noon faded into evening, and evening darkened
into night. The yacht ran into a wide-opening gulf between two
forest-clad points, on the southern of which twinkled the lights of a
large town. These were soon left behind by the flying yacht, and as a
vast sea of fleecy cloud drifted up from the north-east and spread its
veil across the path of the half moon, a little cluster of lights
gleamed out on the port bow. Her bowsprit swerved to the left till it
pointed directly to them. Presently she slowed down and ran into a
little land-locked bay surrounded with dense pine woods which came down
almost to the water's edge, swung round and slowed up alongside a wooden
jetty. From this a broad road, cut straight through the forest, sloped
steeply up to a plateau on which stood a gaunt, grey, turreted castle,
the very picture of the sea-robbers' home that it had been in the days
of Oscarovitch's not very remote ancestors. Up this road and into the
outer gate across the lowered drawbridge the sleeping-sack and the
insensible man within were borne. Through the keep-yard it was taken
into the Castle and up to a large room in the eastern turret,
comfortably furnished, and containing a bed almost as luxurious as that
in which Prince Zastrow had lain down to sleep the evening before.
Oscarovitch preceded the men who carried him, and was met at the door by
a grey-haired, keen-eyed man, who bowed before him, and said in a low
tone:

"May I presume to ask if this is my charge, Highness?"

"It is, Doctor Hugo; and I give him into your