d with his request, and instantly our arms were released; a
moment later we heard our captors leaving us. The minutes went slowly
by. Presently Beckenham said,--

"How long do you think we've been standing here?"

"Nearly the stipulated time, I should fancy," I answered. "However, we'd
better give them a little longer, to avoid any chance of mistake."

Again a silence fell on us. Then I tore off my bandage, to find
Beckenham doing the same.

"They're gone, and we're free again," he cried. "Hurrah!"

We shook hands warmly on our escape, and having done so looked about us.
A ship's bell out in the stream chimed half an hour after midnight, and
a precious dark night it was. A number of vessels were to be seen, and
from the noise that came from them it was evident they were busy
coaling.

"What's to be done now?" asked Beckenham.

"Find an hotel, I think," I answered; "get a good night's rest, and
first thing in the morning hunt up our consul and the steamship
authorities."

"Come along, then. Let's look for a place. I noticed one that should
suit us close to where we came ashore that day."

Five minutes' walking brought us to the house we sought. The proprietor
was not very fastidious, and whatever he may have thought of our
appearances he took us in without demur. A bath and a good meal
followed, and then after a thorough overhauling of all the details
connected with our imprisonment we turned into bed, resolved to thrash
it out upon the morrow.

Next morning, true to our arrangement, as soon as breakfast was over, I
set off for the steamship company's office, leaving the Marquis behind
me at the hotel for reasons which had begun to commend themselves to me,
and which will be quite apparent to you.

I found the _Saratoga's_ agent hard at work in his private office. He
was a tall, thin man, slightly bald, wearing a pair of heavy gold
pince-nez, and very slow and deliberate in speech.

"I beg your pardon," he began, when I had taken possession of his
proffered chair, "but did I understand my clerk to say that your name
was Hatteras?"

"That is my name," I answered. "I was a passenger in the _Saratoga_ for
Australia three weeks ago, but had the misfortune to be left behind when
she sailed."

"Ah! I remember the circumstances thoroughly," he said. "The young
Marquis of Beckenham went ashore with you, I think, and came within an
ace of being also left behind."

"Within an ace!" I cried; "but he _was_ left b