ehind."

"No, no! there you are mistaken," was the astounding reply; "he _would_
have been left behind had not his tutor and I gone ashore at the last
moment to look for him and found him wandering about on the outskirts of
Arab Town. I don't remember ever to have seen a man more angry than the
tutor was, and no wonder, for they only just got out to the boat again
as the gangway was being hauled aboard."

"Then you mean to tell me that the Marquis went on to Australia after
all!" I cried. "And pray how did this interesting young gentleman
explain the fact of his losing sight of me?"

"He lost you in a crowd, he said," the agent continued. "It was a most
extraordinary business altogether."

It certainly was, and even more extraordinary than he imagined. I could
hardly believe my ears. The world seemed to be turned upside down. I was
so bewildered that I stumbled out a few lame inquiries about the next
boat sailing for Australia, and what would be done with my baggage, and
then made my way as best I could out of the office. Hastening back to
the hotel, I told my story from beginning to end to my astonished
companion, who sat on his bed listening open-mouthed. When I had
finished he said feebly,--"But what does it all mean? Tell me that! What
does it mean?"

"It means," I answered, "that our notion about Nikola's abducting us in
order to blackmail your father was altogether wrong, and, if you ask me,
I should say not half picturesque enough. No, no! this mystery is a
bigger one by a hundred times than even we expected, and there are more
men in it than those we have yet seen. It remains with you to say
whether you will assist in the attempt to unravel it or not."

"What do you mean by saying it remains with me? Do I understand that you
intend following it up?"

"Of course I do. Nikola and Baxter between them have completely done
me--now I'm going to do my best to do them. By Jove!"

"What is it now?"

"I see it all as plain as a pikestaff. I understand exactly now why
Baxter came for you, why he telegraphed that the train was laid, why I
was drugged in Plymouth, why you were sea-sick between Naples and this
place, and why we were both kidnapped!"

"Then explain, for mercy's sake!"

"I will. See here. In the first place, remember your father's peculiar
education of yourself. If you consider that, you will see that you are
the only young nobleman of high rank whose face is not well known to his
brother peers. T