ictly private character, I was disconcerted to suddenly discover him
behind my chair--without knowing how he came, or how long he had been
there--in a position and attitude that irresistibly suggested the idea
that he had been peering over my shoulder. Or again, when conversing
more or less confidentially with others, it was no uncommon thing to
make, by the merest accident, the annoying discovery that the man had
been well within earshot all the while. And it did not in the least
lessen my annoyance that, on all such occasions, the fellow seemed to be
exactly where he ought to be, and engaged in the performance of
perfectly legitimate duties.

This, however, was the extent of his offence--if such it can be called--
until we were within twenty-four hours of arriving in Sydney Harbour,
when he was detected in an act that all but resulted in the destruction
of the ship, while it seriously imperilled the lives of all hands.

The ship's lazarette, or storeroom, was situated--as is usually the
case--underneath the cabin. But whereas it is the fashion in most ships
to have a small hatch in the cabin floor by which access is gained to
the lazarette, in the _Esmeralda_ there was a much more convenient
arrangement, consisting of a step-ladder leading down through a hatchway
beneath the saloon staircase, whereby stores could be brought up for use
without the necessity of shifting the saloon table and dragging
everything through the saloon itself. The hatchway giving access to the
lazarette was enclosed by a partition which formed quite a roomy little
apartment, wherein the steward was wont to unpack the barrels and cases
containing the cabin stores; the work being thus done in such complete
seclusion that it could not possibly prove a source of annoyance to any
one, however fastidious. This arrangement also enabled the steward to
enter the lazarette at his own sweet will and without any one being the
wiser--which constituted my sole objection to it.

We were, as I have said, within twenty-four hours' sail of our port, the
time being evening, about three bells in the first watch, when one of
the nursemaids came rushing on deck with a scared face and the
intelligence that there was a strong smell of burning in the saloon,
which, moreover, was full of smoke. I of course sprang below at once,
and found it to be indeed as the maid had stated; there was a most
unmistakable smell of fire, and a haze of light-blue smoke in the cab