for me to come home to her and the kid. Though
there is one woman who'd like to know where I'd gone and when and how
death found me,' he says, after a moment. 'I'd like to send a word--a
message--a sign just to her, cap'n. She'd know--she'd understand
and--well, it's only right that she should.'

"'Well, give it to me, Red,' I says. 'I'll take it to her if I live,
old man.' But, bless you, there wasn't anything to write the message on,
of course; and it wasn't for a long time that Red hit upon a plan.

"'Cap'n,' he says, 'I've got my inks and my needles. Let me put it on
your shoulder, will you? Just a name and a sign. But she'll understand,
she'll know, and that's all I want.' Of course I agreed--who wouldn't
for a mate at a time like that? So I lays down on my face and Red goes
at me with the needles and works till he gets it done.

"'There,' he says when he'd reached the end of it. 'If ever anybody
wants to know who died on this here reef, cap'n, there's Red Hamish's
answer,' he says. 'She'll know, my mother, the only one that cares,'
says he, and chucks his belt into the sea and that's all.

"Thanky, doctor, thanky. It does feel better, and I do believe that I
shall sleep now. At first I missed the hummin' of that electric fan in
your laboratory, I fancy, but bless you, sir, I feel quite drowsy and
comfortable now. Remember me to Colonel Goshen when you go back to your
rooms, will you? I see him go round the angle of the buildin' and into
your side of the house just after you left me to-night, sir, and I
thought likely he'd come round and call, but he didn't. Good-night,
sir--good-night, and many thanks!"

But even before he had finished speaking Cleek had gone out of the room,
and was padding swiftly along the passage to where Lieutenant Bridewell
awaited him.

"Well?" exclaimed the young man breathlessly as the fleet-moving figure
flashed in and began tearing off the beard, the dressing-gown, and the
disguising wig. "You found out? You learned something, then?"

"I have learned everything, everything!" said Cleek, and pouncing upon
his portmanteau whisked out a couple of pairs of handcuffs. "Don't stop
to ask questions now. Come with me to the partition door and clap those
things on the wrists of the man that gets by me. There are two of them
in there, your Dr. Fordyce and your Colonel Goshen, and I want them
both."

"Good heavens, man, you don't surely mean that they, those two dear
friends----"

"Don