," answered Otway promptly.

"Done. You shall have it."

"When?"

"Give me till to-morrow afternoon. I've only a hundred and fifty pounds
with me, and I'll have to raise the rest."

"Very well, it's a deal. But mind, you'll have to take care to be here
before the parson. He's coming off at eleven o'clock."

"Trust me for that, gentlemen."

"I'm sorry for his wife," said Otway meditatively.

O'Donovan grinned. "Ah, I haven't told you the yarn--she's not his wife!
She bolted from her husband, who is a big swell in Auckland, a Mr.----."

"How did you get on their tracks?"

"Sydney police found out that two people answering their description had
sailed for the Islands in the _Tucopia_, and cabled over to us. We
thought they had lit out for America. I only got here the day before
yesterday in the _Ryno_, from Auckland."

Otway paid him some very florid compliments on his smartness, and then
after another drink or two, the detective went on shore, highly pleased.

As soon as he was gone, Otway turned to Robertson.

"You won't stand in my way, Robertson, will you?" he asked--"I want to
see the poor devils get away."

"You take all the responsibility, then."

"I will," and then he rapidly told the skipper his plan, and set to
work by at once asking the second mate to get ready the boat and then
come back to the cabin.

"All ready," said Allen, five minutes later.

"Then come with the steward and help me with this gear."

He unlocked the door of Lacy's state-room, lit the swinging candle, and
quickly passed out Mr. and Mrs. Lacy's remaining luggage to the second
mate and steward. Three small leather trunks, marked "Books with Care,"
were especially heavy, and he guessed their contents.

"Stow them safely in the boat, Allen. Don't make more noise than you can
help. I'll be with you in a minute."

Going into his own cabin, he took a large handbag, threw into it his
revolver and two boxes of cartridges, then carried it into the
trade-room, and added half a dozen tins of the brand of tobacco which he
knew Lacy liked, and then filled the remaining space with pint bottles
of champagne. Then he whipped up a sheet or two of letter paper and an
envelope from the cabin-table, thrust them into his coat pocket, and,
bag in hand, stepped quickly on deck. The old mate was in his cabin, and
had not heard anything.

"Give it to her, boys," he said to the crew, taking the steer-oar in his
hand, and heading the boat towar