gs. This, I imagine, was the reason
of my mishap. At any rate, I missed a rung, lost my catch, and tumbled
heavily down the last three or four steps, falling, to my surprise, not
upon the hard deck, but upon some warmer, softer body. Remembering
vividly and painfully my struggle with Pierce, I was on my guard, and
grabbed the man that lay under me.

"For heaven's sake--" he gasped. "It's me--it's Pye."

I was astounded, and relaxed my hold! What was the little craven clerk
doing there at this time of night, and in such weather?

"What----" I began, when he uttered an exclamation of terror, as it
seemed.

"Dr. Phillimore!"

"That is so," I answered. "What on earth are you doing here?"

There was almost a whimper in his voice as he replied:

"The fog, doctor. I was foolish enough to wander out on the deck, and I
lost my way. I've been straying about for twenty minutes or more. I
couldn't find the door again."

"Well, you won't in this direction," I assured him. "This part of the
country belongs to the enemy. You've strayed afield, my friend, so, if
you'll give me your arm, I'll do my best to put you straight."

He thanked me, and did as I asked him, but, as I thought, somewhat
timorously. His hand rested nervously inside my arm, as if he would
have withdrawn it and fled at a moment's notice. And so we stumbled
along the deck together to the state cabins.

I gave the signal on the door, and we were admitted by Ellison. There
was no one else in the corridor except Lane at the farther end, and, to
my surprise, the Princess. She was seated on a couch under the electric
light, reading, clad in a long and flowing morning-gown. Her hand with
the book had dropped a little as we entered, and her eyes sought us.

"There will be no alarm to-night, Ellison," I said on the spur of the
moment, and I caught the Princess's eye. She rose, shut her book, and
came towards us.

"You have come back safely," she said in a quick way.

"The fog was the only danger," I answered. "And it nearly did for Mr.
Pye. You may confide your head to the pillow with a security to-night,
Miss Morland. To-night Mr. Holgate is a sailor."

She did not seem to understand.

"His care is his ship to-night," I explained.

"You have placed us in your debt," she said. "I do not think my brother
knows how much we are indebted to you."

I looked at Pye. The praise was pleasant on her lips, but I felt a
little embarrassed. The clerk's eyes were faste