A woman came forward through the shadows. West had a glimpse of her face,
but the features were unfamiliar. A woman of forty, perhaps, still
attractive in appearance, with dark hair and bold black eyes that met
his own defiantly. He was puzzled, doubtful as to what it all meant. So
this was the woman he had seen on board; not Natalie Coolidge at all.
There had been a mistake of some kind; but if so, why had these people
given him this sort of reception aboard? These thoughts swept his mind in
a flash, as the woman peered forward to see his features more clearly.
For a moment she said nothing, and Joe broke out impatiently.

"He's the lad, ain't he?" he asked. "We ain't gone an' picked up the
wrong guy?"

"No; he's the bird all right. I never lamped him but once before myself.
I heard his name then, but forgot it. He's her friend, there ain't no
doubt o' that, Joe, and it ain't likely he's hanging around here just for
fun, is it? My idea was it would be safer to take him in."

"Sure; what's yer name, young fellow?"

Concealment was useless; they evidently had him correctly spotted; to lie
would do no good.

"Matthew West."

"That's the name," the woman exclaimed eagerly. "He is a soldier--a
Captain, or something like that. Jim told me about him; he's the same
fellow who was snooping about Mike's Place last night, before we
pulled out."

"Is that so? How the hell did you get out of there?"

"We had a little trouble," West admitted, "but they let me go."

"Yes, they did! I know better than that; Hobart don't do business
that way. I reckon we've played his game all right taking you in.
Well, you don't get out of here so easy, let me tell you. How'd you
come to get onto us?"

"That's my business."

"Oh, is it? Well, we'll make it ours from now on. There is one thing
pretty sure--you were here playing a lone hand. So it don't make much
difference what yer idea was. We'll take the bird along with us, Mary;
then he'll be out of temptation."

The woman nodded.

"Jim will know what to do with him," she said. "All we got to do is keep
him safe."

"I'll attend to that; come on, Mark, let's throw the damn sneak into that
left-hand stateroom. He'll stay there all right. Aw, take hold; don't be
afraid of hurting the fellow."

They roughed him forward, but West made no attempt to resist; his hands
were bound, and he was helpless. The woman threw open the narrow door,
and he was bundled unceremoniously across the th