bar never took his hands from the lever, of that I was certain. The men
on the bar behind me could not have reached me. Even if they had reached
me the mate must have noticed it. I knew that sailors were often clever
thieves; but I did not believe that they could have been so clever under
the mate's eye. If it had not been done at the capstan it could not have
been done since I came aboard; for there had been no other opportunity.
I was quite convinced, after a moment's thought, that it had been done
on the wharf before I came aboard. Then I wondered if it had been done
by common shore thieves, or "nickers," who are always present in our
big seaport towns, ready to steal whenever they get a chance. But I was
rather against this possibility; for my mind just then was much too full
of Aurelia's party. I saw their hands in it. It would have needed very
strong evidence to convince me that they were not at the bottom of this
last attack, as they had doubtless been in the attack under the inn
balcony.

Thinking of their cunning with some dismay, I went to my door to secure
it. I was in my stockinged feet at the moment, as I had kicked my
boots off on coming into the cabin. My step, therefore, must have been
noiseless. Opening the door smartly, half-conscious of some slight noise
on the far side, I almost ran into Captain Barlow, who was standing
without. He showed a momentary confusion, I thought, at seeing me thus
suddenly. It was a bad sign. To me, in my excited nervous state, it was
a very bad sign. It convinced me that he had been standing there, trying
to spy upon me through the keyhole, with what purpose I could guess only
too well. His face changed to a jovial grin in an instant; but I felt
that he was searching my face narrowly for some sign of suspicion.

"I was just coming in to see if you wanted anything," he said.

"No. Nothing, thanks," I answered. "But what time's breakfast, sir?"

"Oh, the boy'll call you," he answered. "Is that your school satchel?
Hey? What you carry your books in? Let's see it?"

"Oh," I said, as lightly as I could, feeling that he was getting on
ticklish ground. "I've not unpacked it yet. It's got all my things in
it."

By this time he was well within my cabin. "Why," he said, "this strap's
almost cut in two. Does your master let you bring your satchel to school
in that state? How did it come to be cut like that? Hey?"

I made some confused remark about its having always been in that