als and to defeat their little game,
whatever it may be. Are you prepared for so much excitement as that?"

"Of course I am. Come what may, I'll go with you, and there's my hand on
it."

"Then we'll catch the next boat--not a mail-steamer--that sails for an
Australian port, and once ashore there we'll set the ball a-rolling with
a vengeance."

"That scoundrel Baxter! I'm not vindictive as a rule, but I feel I
should like to punish him."

"Well, if they've not flown by the time we reach Australia, you'll
probably be able to gratify your wish. It's Nikola, however, I want."

Beckenham shuddered as I mentioned the Doctor's name. So to change the
subject I said,----

"I'm thinking of taking a little walk. Would you care to accompany me?"

"Where are you going?" he asked.

"I'm going to try and find the house where we were shut up," I answered.
"I want to be able to locate it for future reference, if necessary."

"Is it safe to go near it, do you think?"

"In broad daylight, yes! But, just to make sure, we'll buy a couple of
revolvers on the way. And, what's more, if it becomes necessary, we'll
use them."

"Come along, then."

With that we left our hotel and set off in the direction of the Casino,
stopping, however, on the way to make the purchases above referred to.

We passed down one thoroughfare and up another, and at last reached the
spot where I had commented on the sign-boards, and where we had been
garrotted. Surely the house must be near at hand now? But though we
hunted high and low, up one street and down another, not a single trace
of any building answering the description of the one we wanted could we
discover. At last, after nearly an hour's search, we were obliged to
give it up, and return to our hotel, unsuccessful.

As we finished lunch a large steamer made her appearance in the harbour,
and brought up opposite the town. When we questioned our landlord, who
was an authority on the subject, he informed us that she was the s.s.
_Pescadore_, of Hull, bound to Melbourne.

Hearing this we immediately chartered a boat, pulled off to her, and
interviewed the captain. As good luck would have it, he had room for a
couple of passengers. We therefore paid the passage money, went ashore
again and provided ourselves with a few necessaries, rejoined her, and
shortly before nightfall steamed into the Canal. Port Said was a thing
of the past. Our eventful journey was resumed--what was the end of it
all to