eady for business!" Marshall did not
attempt to conceal his personal disappointment.

"I am so sorry you are leaving," he said; "selfishly sorry, I mean. I'd
hoped you all would be here for several days." He looked inquiringly
toward Livingstone.

"I understood the SERAPIS was disabled," he explained.

"She is," answered Hanley. "So's the RALEIGH. At a pinch, the admiral
might have stretched the regulations and carried me to Jamaica, but
the RALEIGH's engines are knocked about too. I've GOT to reach Kingston
Thursday. The German boat leaves there Thursday for New York. At first
it looked as though I couldn't do it, but we find that the Royal Mail
is due to-day, and she can get to Kingston Wednesday night. It's a great
piece of luck. I wouldn't bother you with my troubles," the senator
explained pleasantly, "but the agent of the Royal Mail here won't sell
me a ticket until you've put your seal to this." He extended a piece of
printed paper.

As Hanley had been talking, the face of the consul had grown grave. He
accepted the paper, but did not look at it. Instead, he regarded the
senator with troubled eyes. When he spoke, his tone was one of genuine
concern.

"It is most unfortunate," he said. "But I am afraid the ROYAL MAIL will
not take you on board. Because of Las Bocas," he explained. "If we had
only known!" he added remorsefully. "It is MOST unfortunate."

"Because of Las Bocas?" echoed Hanley.

"You don't mean they'll refuse to take me to Jamaica because I spent
half an hour at the end of a wharf listening to a squeaky gramophone?"

"The trouble," explained Marshall, "is this: if they carried you, all
the other passengers would be held in quarantine for ten days, and there
are fines to pay, and there would be difficulties over the mails. But,"
he added hopefully, "maybe the regulations have been altered. I will see
her captain, and tell him----"

"See her captain!" objected Hanley. "Why see the captain? He doesn't
know I've been to that place. Why tell him? All I need is a clean bill
of health from you. That's all HE wants. You have only to sign that
paper." Marshall regarded the senator with surprise.

"But I can't," he said.

"You can't? Why not?"

"Because it certifies to the fact that you have not visited Las Bocas.
Unfortunately, you have visited Las Bocas."

The senator had been walking up and down the room. Now he seated
himself, and stared at Marshall curiously.

"It's like this, Mr. Marsha