for the night, sir?"

I thanked him and entered a small, comfortably-fitted state-room.
With profuse apologies, he turned the key and left me to my own
reflections.

I slept soundly, rocked by the tide of the Finland Gulf.

In the morning my jailer came to wake me.

"Captain Vassileffsky presents his compliments, and asks you to
breakfast with him in his cabin, in half an hour."

This message was a welcome proof to me that my bluff had produced the
desired effect. I accepted the invitation as if it was a matter of
course.

I dressed, and went to the cabin where Vassileffsky awaited me.

"Are we friends or foes this morning?" I called out with a
good-humored laugh, as I greeted him.

The Russian looked dull and nervous.

"I hope all will be well," he muttered. "Let us have something to eat
before we talk."

He might have said, something to drink, for his own breakfast was
mainly of champagne. I, myself, made a point of eating heartily, and
drank only coffee.

"Now, Vassileffsky," I said in authoritative tones, "to business.
First of all, you want some money."

It was a guess, but a fairly safe one. Without waiting for the
astonished man to reply, I took out my pocket-book.

"How much can you do with till the fleet sails?" I asked, still in
the same matter-of-fact tone.

Fairly nonplussed, the Captain blurted out,

"I should like two thousand."

I shook my head.

"I can let you have only a thousand now, but you shall have the
balance this day week." I counted the thousand rubles, and handed
them to him. "They are grumbling, rather, in Berlin over the
expense."

It was, of course, my object to give Vassileffsky no opening for a
cross-examination, but to take it for granted that we were on
confidential terms.

At the word "Berlin" he opened his eyes pretty wide.

"Does this money come from Germany?" he exclaimed, half-withdrawing
his hand.

I affected surprise in my turn.

"You have not received any information at all, apparently! My message
must have miscarried. Didn't the Princess see you?"

Vassileffsky looked still more surprised. His demeanor taught me a
good deal. I saw that Petrovitch had not trusted him very far. The
financier had evidently kept all the threads of the intrigue in his
own hands, as far as possible.

So much the better, I reflected. His removal would disorganize
matters even more thoroughly than I had ventured to hope.

"What Princess?" the Captain asked.

"The Pr