holly according to my taste."

"But there is a certain element of danger."

"Oh, the war! I don't think the French even if they come to Albany will
have a chance to take me."

"I didn't have the war in mind. There are other risks of which I think
that I, Peter Smith, who sailed with you once before ought to warn you."

"It's good of you, Peter, to think so much of my safety, but I don't
believe I've any cause for fear. I've always been able to take care of
myself."

The last words were said with a little snap, and Robert knew they were
meant as a defiance, but he appeared not to notice.

"Ah, well you've shown that you know how to look out for number one," he
said. "I'm only Peter Smith, a humble seaman, but I've the same faculty.
I bid you good-day."

"Good-day, Peter. I hope there's no ill feeling between us, and that
each will have whatever he deserves!"

Cool! wonderfully cool, Robert thought, but he replied merely: "I trust
so, too, and in that case it is easy to surmise what one of us would
get."

He sauntered back to his comrades, and, lest he attract their attention,
he did not look toward the slaver again for a minute or two. When he
glanced in that direction he saw the man walking toward the door, not in
any hurried manner, but as if he had all the time in the world, and need
fear nobody. Cool! wonderfully cool, Robert thought a second time.

The slaver went out, and Robert thought he caught a glimpse of a man
meeting him, a second man in whose figure also there was something
familiar. They were gone in an instant, and he was tempted to spring up
and follow them, because the figure of which he had seen but a little at
the door reminded him nevertheless of Achille Garay, the spy.

CHAPTER II

THE CHEST OF DRAWERS

It was but a fleeting glimpse that Robert had of the second man, but he
believed that it was Garay. He not only looked like the spy, but he was
convinced that it was really he. After the first moment or two he did
not doubt his identity, and making an excuse that he wanted a little
fresh air and would return in an instant he walked quickly to the door.
He caught another and fugitive glimpse of two men, one tall and the
other short, walking away together, and he could not doubt that they
were the slaver and the spy.

Had he been alone Robert would have followed them, though he was quite
certain that Garay must have had some place of sure refuge, else he
would not have ventured