es from Jack, looked intently through them
for a full minute, and then turned to Singleton, saying:

"Why, yes, of course I do. He is the chap that the Pater and I were
constantly meeting, wherever we went, while we were in Switzerland. We
met him so repeatedly that at length we could not avoid the conviction
that he was dogging our footsteps. On board the steamers, in the
trains, even when out driving, it was continually the same; we did not
seem able to get away from him. He never took the slightest notice of
us, but that only made us suspect him all the more, because in the case
of other people, after we had encountered them a few times, many of them
bowed to us, some even entered into conversation with us; but although
that fellow stopped at the same hotels as we used, and generally
contrived to sit at the same table with us, he never allowed himself to
show, by so much as a momentary glance, that he had ever seen us before.
Oh, yes"--as he again applied the glasses to his eyes--"that is the
same man; I could swear to him among a thousand. And what is he after
now? Upon my word it looks very much as though he intended to follow us
on board here! See, there are two men bringing a boat along toward the
steps at the end of the pier, and--yes--by Jove, that is what he means
to do! And he is bringing the gendarmes with him! Now what mischief
can he possibly be up to? The Pater and I have done nothing--"

"Let me have a look," interrupted Jack, almost snatching the binoculars
out of his friend's hand, and putting them up to his eyes.

"Ay," he said, "you are right, Carlos, undoubtedly. There he goes down
the steps, with the policemen at his heels. Yes; now they get into the
boat and seat themselves. Yes, he is pointing out the yacht to the
boatmen, and now they are shoving off and heading this way!--Mr
Milsom," he broke off suddenly, "what is the best news with regard to
that anchor of ours?"

"Forecastle there!" shouted Milsom; "how are you coming on with your
anchor?"

"The cable's almost up and down, sir," answered Perkins, the chief mate,
who was standing by the knight-heads and hanging on by the forestay as
he leaned over to watch the cable. "We shall break out in about a
couple of minutes."

"And it will take that boat ten minutes, at least, to get alongside,
even if they keep up their present pace," remarked Jack. "We will get a
move on the ship, Phil, as soon as the anchor is out of the ground