res. If they were to get drunk it would be
as likely as not to slip out."

"I will see to it, sir."

Directly breakfast was over the captain took a boat and went ashore. He
had duly impressed upon all the passengers the absolute necessity for
silence, and several of these went ashore with him. He returned half an
hour later, having been up to the British Consulate.

"The affair is making quite a stir in the town. Not on account of two
men being found dead, there is nothing uncommon in that, especially as
they have been recognized as two notorious ruffians; but the whole
circumstances of the affair puzzle them.

"The doctors who have examined the bodies have arrived pretty well at
the truth, and say that both men have been gripped by the throat, for
the marks of the fingers are plainly visible, and their heads dashed
together. But although this is, as we know, perfectly true, no one
believes it; for the doctors themselves admit that it does not appear to
them possible that any man would have had the strength requisite to
completely batter in the skulls of two others, as has been done in this
case. The police are searching the town for the man whose footsteps led
in that direction, and as they know all the haunts of these ruffians and
their associates it is likely enough that they will find him, especially
as his face is sure to bear marks of Atherton's handiwork. Still, if
they do find him, and he tells all he knows of the business, they will
not be much nearer to tracing the actors in it to this ship. It is not
probable that he recovered his senses until long after they were on
board the boat, and can only say that while engaged in attempting to rob
some passers-by he was suddenly knocked down. But even this they are not
likely to get out of him first, for he will know that he used a knife,
and is not likely to put himself in the way of punishment if he can help
it. I came off at once, because I heard at the Consulate that the police
are going to search every ship in the harbour to see if they can find
some wounded man, or get some clue to the mystery, so I must ask the
doctor if his two patients are fit to be dressed and go up on deck."

The doctor on being consulted said that he should certainly have
preferred that they should have remained quiet all day, but he did not
know that it would do them any harm to get on deck for a bit. And
accordingly in half an hour Mr. Atherton and James Allen came up. The
doctor, w