," said Phillips, "Stephanos or whatever he's
called. Ask him next time you take him out for a row at six o'clock in
the morning."

He knew that he had startled Smith once when he referred to the
seagulls' eggs. He hoped to take him off his guard this time by
showing that he had watched the whole of the morning row. But this
time Smith was not to be caught. He made no sign whatever that
anything unexpected had been said. He was not looking at Phillips. His
eyes were fixed on the palace.

"I beg pardon, sir," he said after a slight pause, "but perhaps we
ought to leave the deck, to go below. Seems to me, sir, that the
Queen is going to bathe. She mightn't like it, sir, if she thought we
were here watching her."

The Queen was descending steps clad in a scarlet bathing dress. It is
not likely that she would have resented the presence of spectators on
the deck of a steamer nearly half a mile distant. Nor, indeed, is it
likely that Kalliope would have been seriously embarrassed, though she
saw no sense in wearing clothes of any kind when she intended to
bathe. But Mr. Phillips was a young man and modest. One fleeting
glimpse of Kalliope poised ready for her plunge was sufficient for
him. He turned and left the deck. Smith was already busy with his
cooking.

CHAPTER X

The peculiarity of Smith's proceedings highly stimulated the curiosity
of Mr. Phillips. The envelope in his pocket helped him to the belief
that he held the clue of an exciting mystery. He pondered the matter
while he shaved. He was dull company at breakfast because he could not
get it out of his head. He made up his mind at last to confide his
vague suspicions to Mr. Donovan. This was a difficult decision to
arrive at. He would have much preferred to unravel his mystery
himself, to go to the Queen with evidence completely sufficient to
condemn a whole band of conspirators. But he saw no chance of getting
any further in his investigations. Smith's morning expedition remained
obstinately unconnected with the torn envelope. A sense of loyalty to
his employers combined with devotion to the Queen decided him to tell
Mr. Donovan all he knew.

The work of unloading the _Ida_ went on briskly all the morning. Mr.
Donovan sat, remote from the turmoil, on his balcony. Mr. Phillips,
seeking a moment when Smith was busy elsewhere, climbed to the
balcony. Mr. Donovan welcomed him.

"Sit right down," he said. "There's another chair knocking about
somewher