t below which did
not reach higher than the turn of the staircase.

The strange words, the cautious tone, the whole person left a strong
uneasiness in the mind of Mr Powell. He started walking the poop in
great mental confusion. He felt all adrift. This was funny talk and no
mistake. And this cautious low tone as though he were watched by
someone was more than funny. The young second officer hesitated to
break the established rule of every ship's discipline; but at last could
not resist the temptation of getting hold of some other human being, and
spoke to the man at the wheel.

"Did you hear what this gentleman was saying to me?"

"No, sir," answered the sailor quietly. Then, encouraged by this
evidence of laxity in his officer, made bold to add, "A queer fish,
sir." This was tentative, and Mr Powell, busy with his own view, not
saying anything, he ventured further. "They are more like passengers.
One sees some queer passengers."

"Who are like passengers?" asked Powell gruffly.

"Why, these two, sir."

PART TWO, CHAPTER 3.

DEVOTED SERVANTS--AND THE LIGHT OF A FLARE.

Young Powell thought to himself: "The men, too, are noticing it."
Indeed, the captain's behaviour to his wife and to his wife's father was
noticeable enough. It was as if they had been a pair of not very
congenial passengers. But perhaps it was not always like that. The
captain might have been put out by something.

When the aggrieved Franklin came on deck Mr Powell made a remark to
that effect. For his curiosity was aroused.

The mate grumbled "Seems to you? ... Put out? ... eh?" He buttoned his
thick jacket up to the throat, and only then added a gloomy "Ay, likely
enough," which discouraged further conversation. But no encouragement
would have induced the newly-joined second mate to enter the way of
confidences. His was an instinctive prudence. Powell did not know why
it was he had resolved to keep his own counsel as to his colloquy with
Mr Smith. But his curiosity did not slumber. Some time afterwards,
again at the relief of watches, in the course of a little talk, he
mentioned Mrs Anthony's father quite casually, and tried to find out
from the mate who he was.

"It would take a clever man to find that out, as things are on board
now," Mr Franklin said, unexpectedly communicative. "The first I saw
of him was when she brought him alongside in a four-wheeler one morning
about half-past eleven. The captain had come