e added.
"Make him amuse you!" and he hastened away to catch the gang-plank
before it should be pulled in.

I bowed to Mrs. Kemball, thinking to myself that I had never seen a
sweeter, pleasanter face. Then I found myself looking into a pair of
blue eyes that fairly took my breath away.

"We'll not neglect Mr. Graham's advice," said a merry voice. "So
prepare for your fate, Mr. Lester!"

There was a hoarse shouting at the gang-way behind me, and the eyes
looked past me, over my shoulder.

"See," she said; "there's one poor fellow who has just made it."

I turned and looked toward the gang-plank. One end had been cast
loose, but two deck-hands were assisting another man to mount it. He
seemed weak and helpless, and they supported him on either side. An
involuntary cry rose to my lips as I looked at him, but I choked it
back. For it was Martigny, risen from his bed to follow us!

CHAPTER XIV

I Prove a Bad Sentinel

I watched him with a kind of fascination until he disappeared through
the door of the cabin. I could guess what it had cost him to drag
himself from his bed, what agony of apprehension must have been upon
him to make him take the risk. The Jourdains, puzzled at my not
returning, unable to keep silence, suspecting, perhaps, some plot
against themselves, had doubtless gone to the hospital and told him of
my appearance--there had been no way for me to guard against that. He
had easily guessed the rest. He had only to consult the passenger list
to assure himself that Mr. Royce and I were aboard. And he was
following us, hoping--what? What could a man in his condition hope to
accomplish? What need was there for us to fear him? And yet, there was
something about him--something in the atmosphere of the man--that
almost terrified me.

I came back to earth to find that Royce and Mrs. Kemball had drifted
away together, and that my companion was regarding me from under
half-closed lids with a little smile of amusement.

"So you're awake again, Mr. Lester?" she asked. "Do you often suffer
attacks of that sort?"

"Pardon me," I stammered. "The fact is, I--I----"

"You looked quite dismayed," she continued relentlessly. "You seemed
positively horror-stricken. I saw nothing formidable about him."

"No; you don't know him!" I retorted, and stopped, lest I should say
too much.

She was smiling broadly, now; an adorable smile that wrinkled up the
corners of her eyes, and gave me a glimpse of little wh