ontfort, and I reckon he'd have less trouble to cook Mr. Bloodgood."

At this moment there was a hesitating, uncertain knock on the door.

"Another visitor, I wonder?" muttered Frank.

CHAPTER V.

THE SUPERSTITIOUS MAN.

A little man hesitated outside the door when it was opened. He had a
sad, uncertain, mournful drab face, puckered into a peculiar expression
about the mouth. He was dressed in black, but his clothes were not a
very good fit or in the latest style. He fingered his hat nervously. His
voice was faltering when he spoke.

"I--I beg your pardon, gentlemen. I--I hope I am not--intruding?"

He had not crossed the threshold. He seemed in doubt about the
advisability of venturing in.

There was something amusing in the appearance of the little man. Frank
recognized a "character" in him, and Merry was interested immediately.
He invited the little man in, and closed the door when that person had
entered.

"I--I know it's rather--rather--er--bold of me," said the stranger,
apologetically. "But you know people on shipboard--er--take
many--liberties."

"Oh, yes, we know it!" muttered Diamond.

Browning grunted and looked the little man over. He was a curiosity to
Bruce.

"What can we do for you, sir?" asked Frank.

The little man hesitated and looked around. He sidled over and put his
hand on the partition.

"The--ah--next room is occupied by the--er--the French gentleman, is it
not?" he asked.

"Yes, sir."

"I--I presume--presume, you know--that you are able to hear
any--ah--conversation that may take place in that room, unless--er--the
conversation is--guarded."

"Not unless we take particular pains to listen," said Merry. "Even then,
it is doubtful if we can hear anything plainly."

"And we are not eavesdroppers," cut in Diamond. "We do not take pains to
listen."

"Oh, no--er--no, of course not!" exclaimed the singular stranger. "I--I
didn't insinuate such a thing! Ha! ha! ha! The idea! But you
know--sometimes--occasionally--persons hear things when they--er--do not
try to hear."

"Well, what in the world are you driving at?" asked Frank, not a little
puzzled by the man's singular manner.

"Well, you see, it's--this way: I--I don't care to be--overheard. I
don't want anybody to--to think I'm prying into their--private business.
You understand?"

"I can't say that I do."

"Perhaps I can make myself--er--clearer."

"Perhaps you can."

"My name is--er--Slush--Peddington Slus