little calculation of yours--our men are as true as
steel; this rogue couldn't turn one of them if he staked his life on
it. Suppose he has come here to use his eyes, and hang about keyholes;
well, we know him, fortunately; and what can he learn unless he learns
it from you or me? There's not another soul aboard knows anything. You
will tell the skipper that we cross to America for a pleasure trip; you
will help me to keep so close an eye on Master Francis Paolo, second
mate, that if he lose a hair of his head we shall know it. In that way
it may turn out that we shall get from him the link which is lost in
the chain; and when he would draw us, we shall pump him as dry as a
sand-pit. At least, that's my way of thinking, and I don't think it's
such a poor notion, after all."

"It's not poor at all--it never came to me like that. Of course, you're
right; let's take the man aboard, but I wish we could have left Mary
behind--don't you?"

That I did, but what could I tell him? It was bad enough to be hugging
all those fears and thoughts of danger to my own heart, without setting
him all a-ferment with apprehension and unrest; so I laughed off his
question, and after a six hours' sleep I went aft to the quarter-deck,
to take stock of the yacht and get some better acquaintance with her.

She was a finely-built ship of some seven hundred tons, and was
schooner-rigged, so that she could either sail or steam. Her engines
were unusually large for so small a vessel, being triple-compound;
while the main saloon, aft, and the small library attached to it,
showed in the luxurious fitting that her late owner had been a man of
fine taste. In the very centre of her there was a deck-house for the
chart-room, the skipper's and engineers' quarters, and a couple of
spare cabins; but generally the accommodation was below, there being
three small cabins with two berths apiece each side the saloon, and
room for the steward and his men amidships. The fo'castle was large,
and airy, giving ample berthing for the stokers and seamen; while the
whole ornament of the deck was bright-looking with brass, and smart
rails, and pots of flowers, these last showing clearly that Mary had
been at work. Indeed, I had scarce made my inspection of our new ship
when she burst up from below, and began her explanation, standing with
flushed cheeks, while the wind played in her hair, and her eyes danced
with the merriment of it.

"Come aboard," she said, mocking