e till Sunday night. The voyage is still
young, and so are we; let's make the most of things while we can."

It was after dinner on the promenade deck, and as Raffles spoke he
glanced sharply fore and aft, leaving me next moment with a step full
of purpose. I retired to the smoking-room, to smoke and read in a
corner, and to watch von Heumann, who very soon came to drink beer and
to sulk in another.

Few travellers tempt the Red Sea at midsummer; the Uhlan was very empty
indeed. She had, however, but a limited supply of cabins on the
promenade deck, and there was just that excuse for my sharing Raffles's
room. I could have had one to myself downstairs, but I must be up
above. Raffles had insisted that I should insist on the point. So we
were together, I think, without suspicion, though also without any
object that I could see.

On the Sunday afternoon I was asleep in my berth, the lower one, when
the curtains were shaken by Raffles, who was in his shirt-sleeves on
the settee.

"Achilles sulking in his bunk!"

"What else is there to do?" I asked him as I stretched and yawned. I
noted, however, the good-humor of his tone, and did my best to catch it.

"I have found something else, Bunny."

"I daresay!"

"You misunderstand me. The whipper-snapper's making his century this
afternoon. I've had other fish to fry."

I swung my legs over the side of my berth and sat forward, as he was
sitting, all attention. The inner door, a grating, was shut and
bolted, and curtained like the open porthole.

"We shall be at Genoa before sunset," continued Raffles. "It's the
place where the deed's got to be done."

"So you still mean to do it?"

"Did I ever say I didn't?"

"You have said so little either way."

"Advisedly so, my dear Bunny; why spoil a pleasure trip by talking
unnecessary shop? But now the time has come. It must be done at Genoa
or not at all."

"On land?"

"No, on board, to-morrow night. To-night would do, but to-morrow is
better, in case of mishap. If we were forced to use violence we could
get away by the earliest train, and nothing be known till the ship was
sailing and von Heumann found dead or drugged--"

"Not dead!" I exclaimed.

"Of course not," assented Raffles, "or there would be no need for us to
bolt; but if we should have to bolt, Tuesday morning is our time, when
this ship has got to sail, whatever happens. But I don't anticipate
any violence. Violence is a confession of t