ook my head, smiling also. "It was political, captain, and that's
all."

He nodded absently, and said suddenly, "I think, doctor, I will get rid
of Pierce at Rio."

I was heartily glad to hear this, and would have suggested that Holgate
also should go, but refrained. I knew not how far his improvement would
bear the strain of the suggestion.

We lay at anchor in the bay to coal, and the passengers took themselves
off to the shore, Mlle. Trebizond in a wild flutter of excitement. This
meant for her the nearest approach to Paris, I suppose, that was
available. At least she was in great spirits, and talked with the
officers. As we entered the harbour we heard the sound of music pouring
from the saloon, which had never yet been used by the party, and on
that the rich notes of a fine mezzo-soprano. The little exhibition
arrested the men at their work, and, after that long passage of
silence, seemed to wake us up and put us in a better mood. As it was
disagreeable on board during the coaling operations, I, too, followed
the party on shore in the company of Barraclough.

We had arrived at mid-day, and the yacht was to sail on the following
evening, for the simple methods of coaling in Rio protract the
business. I lunched at the English Hotel, and occupied the time in the
usual manner of the sight-seer; visited the summit of the hill by the
Alpine Railway, and walked negligently in the Botanical Gardens. I
slept ashore, and was joined on nightfall by Lane, who was full of the
gust of living. He could only be said to enjoy himself when he got
ashore, and yet he could not keep off the sea. I learned from him with
satisfaction that Pierce, the boatswain, was gone, paid off at the
captain's orders. So here was something for my consolation. I breathed
a little more freely, and inquired further. But the rest of his
information was not so satisfactory. Besides the passengers, Day,
Barraclough, McCrae, and himself had come ashore, leaving Legrand with
Holgate and little Pye to represent what might be termed the
aristocracy of the deck. And next morning I got a glimpse in the
streets of Pye, so that Holgate was, barring the second officer, master
of the yacht. I will confess I did not like this look of things; so
deep was my distrust of Holgate. In the Rua do Ouvidor I had a fleeting
vision of Princess Alix and Mlle. Trebizond as they turned into a shop;
but for the rest I enjoyed myself as a stranger to the _Sea Queen_, and
one wi