nced before a Copenhagen-Hull packet ran
across them, taking on board three exhausted men and a woman in
delirium.

CHAPTER XXXVI

FINALITY

At Hull, prepared by wireless, doctors and nurses were waiting for Olive
when the vessel reached port late at night. As Matheson hurried with the
ambulance along the quayside, a tubby little figure of a man came up to
him.

"You remember me--Martin?" he asked. "I'm covering this story for the
_Daily Truth_."

"Come with me," answered Matheson. "I'll give you the information you
want presently."

He had first to see Olive safely in hospital. It was all that he could
do for her. Then he returned to the journalist.

"I suppose that you know that the other two boats were picked up early
this morning?" said Martin.

"Good! and Larssen's little boy?"

"Quite sound. I made a special interview with him.... By the way, you
know that the Hudson Bay flotation is going strong on the wing?"

He held out a newspaper folded back to the financial page. A few
moments' glance was sufficient to tell Matheson all that he needed to
know--that the issue had been launched in his name on the night of
April 30th; that to-morrow at twelve o'clock the lists were to be
closed.

If he were to act at all, he must act now--_at once_. His jaw squared
and his mouth tightened as he thought out the situation.

Then to the journalist: "We've got to smash this--you and I."

From the wallet in his breast-pocket Matheson took out Larssen's two
agreements--blurred with sea-water, but now dried and fit for his
purpose. He handed the agreements to Martin, who whistled surprise as he
read them.

"He's underwritten it himself," was the latter's comment.

"Yes. That evades his agreement with me.... What's the price of a
full-page advertisement in your paper?"

"First, what's the idea?" returned the journalist.

Matheson led the way to a hotel near at hand, and on a sheet of hotel
note-paper wrote these words:--

"The use of my name on the Hudson Bay prospectus is
absolutely unauthorized. I earnestly advise all
investors to cancel their applications by wire--at
once.

(Signed) "Clifford Matheson"

"I want that on a full page," he said decisively.

The journalist read the words, and then looked up suspiciously.

"I knew you as a Mr John Riviere," he objected.

"I know, but I'm Clifford Matheson. I'll prove it to you. I'll bring you
the two survivors from the 'Sta