n England and some
other Power. And yet that can scarcely be, either; for when we left
home everything was quite quiet; the political horizon was as clear as
it ever is, and--dashed if I can understand it. But anyhow,
Elphinstone, I suppose we are not going to jog quietly along and see a
British ship bullied by a foreigner without having a word or two to say
about it, are we?"

"Not much!" answered Sir Reginald, emphatically, and with a flash of the
eye that delighted Mildmay. "I know nothing of these matters," he
continued, "or how to proceed; but you do; so take charge, old chap, and
give us your orders. We will obey them to the letter, I promise you."

"A thousand thanks," answered Mildmay. "Of course I need not tell you
that to interfere in a case of this kind, with no knowledge of the
facts, is a somewhat ticklish business. But, all the same, that is not
going to stop me. I see, yonder, a British ship flying from a stranger;
and with your kind permission I am going to lend her a hand."

He raised his glasses to his eyes again. The hull of the leading ship
had by this time almost topped the horizon, and it was now possible to
see something of her shape. She was a fairly big craft, measuring,
according to Mildmay's estimate, about eight thousand tons; and her
whole shape and appearance confirmed him in his original conviction that
she was one of the X. and Z. Company's boats. She flew no flag at her
masthead, it is true; but Mildmay could now see that she had hoisted a
blue ensign on her ensign staff.

"Under the command of a R.N.R. man," he commented, as he saw this. "All
right, old man; there is a friend within a few miles of you, whose
proximity you probably don't suspect; and we will see that you don't
come to any harm. Now let us have a look at t'other chap."

The second craft was still hull-down; but her masts, funnels, tops of
her ventilators, and the head of her ensign staff were all visible; and
Mildmay noticed that she was showing no colours. This fact rendered the
whole affair more puzzling than ever; for there could be no possible
doubt that she was chasing the liner, and for a man-o'-war openly and
undisguisedly to chase another ship, and not show her colours, was
unprecedented, and most certainly not in accordance with any recognised
rule of warfare.

Meanwhile, the rest of the party had come on deck, and were all intently
watching the two ships through their binoculars as they animat