putting it back into my pocket, I set myself for the second time to
try and discover where we were. By reason of my position and the chain
that bound me, this could only be done by listening, so I shut my eyes
and put all my being into my ears. For some moments no sound rewarded my
attention. Then a cock in a neighbouring yard on my right crowed
lustily, a dog on my left barked, and a moment later I heard the faint
sound of some one coming along the street. The pedestrian, whoever he
might be, was approaching from the right hand, and, what was still more
important, my trained ear informed me that he was lame of one leg, and
walked with crutches. Closer and closer he came. But to my surprise he
did not pass the window; indeed, I noticed that when he came level with
it the sound was completely lost to me. This told me two things: one,
that the window, which was boarded up, did not look into the main
thoroughfare; the other, that the street itself ran along on the far
side of the very wall to which my chain was attached.

As I arrived at the knowledge of this fact, Beckenham opened his eyes;
he sat up as well as his chain would permit, and gazed about him in a
dazed fashion. Then his right hand went up to the iron collar enclosing
his neck, and when he had realized what it meant he appeared even more
mystified than before. He seemed to doze again for a minute or so, then
his eyes opened, and as they did so they fell upon me, and his
perplexity found relief in words.

"Mr. Hatteras," he said, in a voice like that of a man talking in his
sleep, "where are we and what on earth does this chain mean?"

"You ask me something that I want to know myself," I answered. "I cannot
tell you where we are, except that we are in Port Said. But if you want
to know what I think it means, well, I think it means treachery. How do
you feel now?"

"Very sick indeed, and my head aches horribly. But I can't understand it
at all. What do you mean by saying that it is treachery?"

This was the one question of all others I had been dreading, for I could
not help feeling that when all was said and done I was bitterly to
blame. However, unpleasant or not, the explanation had to be got
through, and without delay.

"Lord Beckenham," I began, sitting upright and clasping my hands round
my knees, "this is a pretty bad business for me. I haven't the
reputation of being a coward, but I'll own I feel pretty rocky and mean
when I see you sitting there o