racious, but the man was not responsible. From the deck
above, the face of Mlle. Trebizond peered down at me, smiling and
handsome.

"It was an adventure," she said in her English, showing her pretty
teeth. "It was most exciting, doctor, to be chased by a pirate."

"I'm glad you enjoyed it, mademoiselle," said I politely. "I take some
credit to myself for the rocket."

"Oh, but it should have been dark--that would have been much better,"
said she. "Come up and tell me all about it."

After a momentary hesitation I obeyed, and when I reached the deck I
found Princess Alix there. Once more I explained my misadventure, and
Mlle. Trebizond chatted and laughed in great good-humour. She had made
many purchases, but complained of the shops. She could not get her
favourite perfume, she protested, and wondered how people could live in
such remote regions. Then she tired of me, I suppose, and walked off,
leaving me to the Princess. Her blue eyes, as cold as her brother's,
flashed a question at me.

"It was not an accident?" she said.

"The notice, I find, was sent last night, after Mr. Morland had
communicated with Captain Day. It should have reached me at the hotel
early this morning. It didn't."

"I see." She looked towards the forts at the mouth of the harbour,
which we were then passing. "I am glad you did your duty in rejoining
the yacht," she said next.

I think I was between amusement and irritation at her words, for, after
all, I considered that it was not a time to talk of duty when I had
been the victim of a trick, and had, after my own poor fashion, paid so
heavily for it. I might even have looked for a sentence of thanks for
my zeal. But the Princess was a princess still, despite that she was
also Miss Morland and the sister of a man who had thrown away all to
contract a morganatic marriage. But amusement got the upper hand. I
smiled.

"Oh, we English have usually a severe sense of duty," I replied, "at
least, when it comes to a pinch. On the other hand, of course, we lack
discipline."

She glanced at me, and, with a little bow, moved away. I was dismissed.

The yacht was pointed now for Buenos Ayres, at which port it was clear
that, for reasons of his own, Prince Frederic was anxious to arrive. It
was not until the second evening, however, that anything of importance
occurred. But that was of considerable importance, as you shall see. I
had occasion to pay a visit to the stoke-hole, where one of the men