he thing now.
You'll know Wheeler by his nose, which is broken."

"I'm not afraid of them," said the Jew, "but thank you for telling me.
Did they follow you here?"

"They're outside, I've no doubt," said the other; "but they come along
like human cats--leastways, the Burmah chap does. You want eyes in the
back of your head for them almost. The Burmese is an old man and soft as
velvet, and Jack Ball just afore he died was going to tell me something
about him. I don't know what it was; but, pore Jack, he was a
superstitious sort o' chap, and I know it was something horrible.
He was as brave as a lion, was Jack, but he was afraid o' that little
shrivelled-up Burmese. They'll follow me to the ship to-night. If
they'll only come close enough, and there's nobody nigh, I'll do Jack a
good turn."

"Stay here till the morning," said the Jew.

The seaman shook his head. "I don't want to miss my ship," said he; "but
remember what I've told you, and mind, they're villains, both of them,
and if you are not very careful, they'll have you, sooner or later.
Good-night!"

He buttoned up his coat, and leading the way to the door, followed by
the Jew with the candle, opened it noiselessly, and peered carefully out
right and left. The alley was empty.

"Take this," said the Jew, proffering his pistol.

"I've got one," said the seaman. "Good-night!"

He strode boldly up the alley, his footsteps sounding loudly in the
silence of the night. The Jew watched him to the corner, and then,
closing the door, secured it with extra care, and went back to his
bedroom, where he lay meditating upon the warning which had just been
given to him until he fell asleep.

Before going downstairs next morning he placed the revolver in his
pocket, not necessarily for use, but as a demonstration of the lengths
to which he was prepared to go. His manner with two or three inoffensive
gentlemen of color was also somewhat strained. Especially was this
the case with a worthy Lascar, who, knowing no English, gesticulated
cheer-fully in front of him with a long dagger which he wanted to pawn.

The morning passed without anything happening, and it was nearly
dinner-time before anything occurred to justify the sailor's warning.
Then, happening to glance at the window, he saw between the articles
which were hanging there a villainous face, the principal feature of
which being strangely bent at once recalled the warning of the sailor.
As he looked the face disa