th cool and smart in quite a simple affair of brown
holland, which toned well with her complexion, and was cleverly
relieved with touches of scarlet. I quite admired her that afternoon,
for her eyes were really very good, and so were her teeth, yet I had
never admired her more directly in my own despite. For I passed them
again and again in order to get a word with Raffles, to tell him I knew
there was danger in the wind; but he would not so much as catch my eye.
So at last I gave it up. And I saw him next in the captain's cabin.

They had summoned him first; he had gone in smiling; and smiling I
found him when they summoned me. The state-room was spacious, as
befitted that of a commander. Mackenzie sat on the settee, his beard
in front of him on the polished table; but a revolver lay in front of
the captain; and, when I had entered, the chief officer, who had
summoned me, shut the door and put his back to it. Von Heumann
completed the party, his fingers busy with his mustache.

Raffles greeted me.

"This is a great joke!" he cried. "You remember the pearl you were so
keen about, Bunny, the emperor's pearl, the pearl money wouldn't buy?
It seems it was entrusted to our little friend here, to take out to
Canoodle Dum, and the poor little chap's gone and lost it; ergo, as
we're Britishers, they think we've got it!"

"But I know ye have," put in Mackenzie, nodding to his beard.

"You will recognize that loyal and patriotic voice," said Raffles.
"Mon, 'tis our auld acquaintance Mackenzie, o' Scoteland Yarrd an'
Scoteland itsel'!"

"Dat is enough," cried the captain. "Have you submid to be searge, or
do I vorce you?"

"What you will," said Raffles, "but it will do you no harm to give us
fair play first. You accuse us of breaking into Captain von Heumann's
state-room during the small hours of this morning, and abstracting from
it this confounded pearl. Well, I can prove that I was in my own room
all night long, and I have no doubt my friend can prove the same."

"Most certainly I can," said I indignantly. "The ship's boys can bear
witness to that."

Mackenzie laughed, and shook his head at his reflection in the polished
mahogany.

"That was ver clever," said he, "and like enough it would ha' served ye
had I not stepped aboard. But I've just had a look at they
ventilators, and I think I know how ye worrked it. Anyway, captain, it
makes no matter. I'll just be clappin' the derbies on these young
sparks,