me Sofie; evidently a trusted chaperon, or nurse, or something like
that. When I came to myself in a very luxurious cabin in the yacht,
this old woman was talking to me in French--a strange medley that I
could make nothing of. When I was better she questioned me about
everything, saying '_Mon Dieu!_' at every answer I made. Then she left
me and was gone a long time; and when she came back, that man was with
her. I learned afterward that he was called Monsieur Chatelard. They
both looked at me, arguing fiercely in such a furious French that I
could not understand more than half they said. They looked as if they
were appraising me, like an article for sale, but Madame Sofie held out
steadily, on some point, against Monsieur Chatelard, and finally it
appeared that she converted him to her own point of view. He went away
very angry, and I did not see him again, except at a distance, until
the night of the wreck."

"Did you find out where they were going, or who was back of their
scheme?"

"No, nothing; or very little. There was money involved. I could tell
that. But no names were mentioned, nor any places that I can remember.
You see, I was ill from the effects of the chloroform, and frightened,
too, I think."

"I don't wonder," said Aleck, wrinkling his homely face. He remained
silent while he searched, mentally, for a clue.

"I found out, through my maid, who arrived today, that some one of the
kidnapping party had been clever enough to send a false message to the
hotel, explaining my sudden departure."

"I see, I see," said Aleck, going over the story in his mind. And
presently, "Where does Hand come in? And how did Jim happen to be
aboard the _Jeanne D'Arc_?"

"Hand was some sort of henchman to Monsieur Chatelard, I believe. And
he told me that your cousin was picked up in New York harbor, swimming
for life, it appeared. No one seemed to know any more."

Aleck stopped short, looked at Agatha, pursed his lips for a whistle
and remained silent. They had arrived at the porch steps, and were
tacitly waiting for the doctors to descend and give them, if possible,
some encouragement for the coming night. But the story of the _Jeanne
D'Arc_ had grown more complicated than Aleck had anticipated, and much
was yet to be explained. Aleck was slow, as always, in thinking it
through, but he figured it out, finally, to a certain point, and
expressed himself thus: "That's the way with your steady fellows;
the