knew whom to address. Owing to the unfortunate decease of the late
Captain Day----"

"You infernal ruffian; you murderer!" broke fiercely out of Lane's
throat. "You'll hang yet, by heaven, or I'll eat my hat."

Holgate turned his heavy face and still sombre eyes upon the purser,
but said nothing nor otherwise remarked his outburst. It was
Barraclough who spoke:

"Excuse me, Mr. Lane, this is my affair, not yours," he said abruptly.
"Go on, sir," to Holgate.

"I can wait, of course," said the mutineer with cool irony. "There
isn't much hurry about the matter now the ship lays her course. But I
should prefer a business deal with business people, and I take it that
that means with you, Sir John."

Barraclough nodded. "You may address me," he said. "And you will get
your answer from me."

"That's all right, then. And having settled so much, this is what I've
got to lay before you," proceeded Holgate placidly, breathing out his
words. "There's been a certain amount of pawn-taking in this game, and
we've both got to pass it over if we're coming to business. Now you
know what I want, and by this time you pretty well ought to know what
you want also. You're in a tight fix. Well, if you'll hand over the
contents of the strong-room we'll get out a proper contract, as thus:
self to take the said contents, agreeing therewith to allow his Royal
Highness, or Mr. Morland (which you will), a moiety of the same,
provided that the party be landed at a suitable place not more than ten
miles from a civilised town, and provided always that no more be heard
of the steps leading up to this contract."

He came to a pause, and eyed us, with a gaze divested of any eagerness,
even of any significance. The Prince uttered a loud laugh, but
Barraclough, as became his position, kept his expression. I was a
little out of the group, and I could pick out the faces of the company.
The Princess had moved forward and leaned now with her chin on her open
palm, and one foot upon the settee near the door. She was frankly
staring at the mutineer who made these astounding proposals. The Prince
and Barraclough conferred in whispers, and presently the latter resumed
his position.

"If you want the contents of the strong-room," he said, "it is
suggested that you had better come and take them."

Holgate's eyebrows went up. "Well, I could do that, of course," he said
slowly. "Don't suppose I've overlooked that solution of the little
problem. But I'm de