headed once more toward the far-off imperial Japanese
city of Tokio.

"I would give a thousand dollars to know what it all means," said
Captain Strathmore, as he stood on the bridge debating the matter with
himself. "There is something about the whole business which I don't
understand. In the first place, Inez came under my charge in an
extraordinary way. I don't believe that that man who brought her down
to the wharf told the truth, and I very much doubt whether the parents
of the little one have ever been in Japan. She may have been stolen
from some one, and this means has been resorted to in order to get her
out of the way. I wish I had questioned her more closely," continued
the perplexed captain, following up the train of thought, "for she let
drop an expression or two now and then that showed she had some
remembrances which it would have been interesting to call up. It's too
late now," added the old sailor, with a sigh, "and probably I shall
never see her again. She had nestled down into that spot in my heart
which was left vacant many weary years ago, when my own Inez died and
my only boy became as one dead, and there is no sacrifice I would not
make would it but bring this one back to me. It is curious, but the
feeling is strong upon me that somewhere at some time we shall meet
again."

"Port your helm!"

This was the startling order which the quartermaster sent to the
wheel-house at that moment, and which was obeyed with as much
promptness as is possible on such a gigantic craft as an ocean
steamer.

The night, for a rarity, was dark and misty, a peculiar fog resting
upon the water, and shutting out the view in every direction. It would
seem that there could be little danger of a collision on the broad
bosom of the mightiest ocean of the globe, but there must always be a
certain ratio of danger, and none realized this more than Captain
Strathmore.

The _Polynesia_ had been running at half speed ever since the sun went
down, and her whistle blew at irregular intervals. At the moment the
startling order was communicated to the man at the wheel, the lights
of another steamer were discerned directly ahead. And these were
scarcely observed when the mountainous hull loomed up to view in
appalling proximity, and a cold shudder ran through every officer and
sailor at the sight, for there was just a single second or two when it
seemed certain that the two crafts would come together with an
earthquake shock and