strolled out and made their way towards the harbour. They
could see the _Scorpion_ but there was no sign of any pinnace leaving
her. Reluctantly they turned back towards the hotel.

"I wonder what has become of Captain Granet?" Olive asked.

Geraldine stopped short. There was a little frown gathering upon her
forehead. She pointed up to the roof of the hotel, where a man was
crouching with a telescope glued to his eyes. He lowered it almost as
they paused, and waved his hand to them.

"Can't see any sign of Conyers," he shouted. "I'm waiting for the
pinnace. Come up here. There's such a ripping view."

They entered the hotel in silence.

"I don't believe," Geraldine remarked uneasily, "that Ralph would like
that."

They made their way to the top of the house and were escorted by a buxom
chambermaid to what was practically a step-ladder opening out on to a
skylight. From here they crawled on to the roof, where they found Granet
comfortably ensconced with his back to a chimney, smoking a cigarette.

"This is rather one on your brother," he chuckled.

"Where did you find the telescope?" Geraldine asked.

"I borrowed it from downstairs," he answered. "Do come and have a look.
You can see the _Scorpion_ quite distinctly. All the officers seem to be
gathered around that mysterious structure on the upper deck. I thought
at first it was a stand for a gun but it isn't."

Olive held out her hand for the telescope but Geraldine shook her head.
There was a troubled expression in her eyes.

"I suppose it's awfully silly, Captain Granet," she said, "but honestly,
I don't think Ralph would take it as a joke at all if he knew that we
were up here, trying to find out what was going on."

Olive set down the telescope promptly.

"I didn't think of that," she murmured.

Granet laughed easily.

"Perhaps you are right," he admitted. "All the same, we are a little
exceptionally placed, aren't we?--his sister, his fiancee, and--"

He broke off suddenly. A hand had been laid upon his shoulder. A small,
dark man, who had come round the corner of the chimney unperceived, was
standing immediately behind him.

"I must trouble you all for your names and addresses, if you please," he
announced quietly.

The two girls stared at him, dumbfounded. Granet, however, remained
perfectly at his ease. He laid down the telescope and scrutinised the
newcomer.

"I really don't altogether see," he remarked good humouredly, "why I
should g