"picrate of potash" brought me to my feet? and with an
involuntary impulse I rushed up to Ruby, and seized him by the shoulder.

"Is there picrate of potash on board?" I almost shrieked.

"Yes," said Falsten, "a case containing thirty pounds."

"Where is it?" I cried.

"Down in the hold, with the cargo."

CHAPTER XI.

What my feelings were I cannot describe; but it was hardly in terror so
much as with a kind of resignation that I made my way to Curtis on
the forecastle, and made him aware that the alarming character of our
situation was now complete, as there was enough explosive matter on
board to blow up a mountain. Curtis received the information as coolly
as it was delivered, and after I had made him acquainted with all the
particulars said,--

"Not a word of this must be mentioned to any one else, Mr. Kazallon,
where is Ruby now?"

"On the poop," I said.

"Will you then come with me, sir?"

Ruby and Falsten were sitting just as I had left them. Curtis walked
straight up to Ruby, and asked him whether what he had been told was
true.

"Yes, quite true," said Ruby, complacently, thinking that the worst
that could befall him would be that he might be convicted of a little
smuggling.

I observed that Curtis was obliged for a moment or two to clasp his
hands tightly together behind his back to prevent himself from
seizing the unfortunate passenger by the throat; but suppressing his
indignation, he proceeded quietly, though sternly, to interrogate him
about the facts of the case. Ruby only confirmed what I had already told
him. With characteristic Anglo-Saxon incautiousness he had brought
on board with the rest of his baggage, a case containing no less than
thirty pounds of picrate, and had allowed the explosive matter to be
stowed in the hold with as little compunction as a Frenchman would feel
in smuggling a single bottle of wine. He had not informed the captain
of the dangerous nature of the contents of the package, because he was
perfectly aware that he would have been refused permission to bring the
package on board.

"Any way," he said, with a shrug of his shoulders, "you can't hang me
for it; and if the package gives you so much concern, you are quite at
liberty to throw it into the sea. My luggage is insured."

I was beside myself with fury, and not being endowed with Curtis's
reticence and self-control, before he could interfere to stop me, I
cried out,--

"You fool! don't you know that t