ir-ship recognised Nicholas Roburoff and his wife, Radna Michaelis,
and several other members of the Inner Circle, standing on the bridge
of the steamer. Handkerchiefs were waved, and cries of welcome and
greeting passed and re-passed from the air to the sea, until Arnold
raised his hand for silence, and, hailing Roburoff, said--

"Are you all well on board?"

"Yes, all well," was the reply, "though we have had rather a risky
time of it, for war was generally declared a fortnight ago, and we
have had to run the blockade for a good part of the way. That is why
we are a little before our time. Can you come nearer? We have some
letters for you."

"Yes," replied Arnold. "I'll come alongside. You go ahead, I'll do
the rest."

So saying, he ran the _Ariel_ up close to the quarter of the
_Avondale_ as easily as though she had been lying at anchor instead
of going twenty miles an hour through the water, and went forward and
shook hands with Roburoff over the rail, taking a packet of letters
from him at the same time. Meanwhile Colston, who had grasped the
situation at a glance, had swung himself on to the steamer's deck,
and was already engaged in an animated conversation with Radna.

The first advantage that Arnold took of the leisure that was now at
his disposal, was to read the letter directed to himself that was
among those for Natasha, the Princess, and Colston, which had been
brought out by the _Avondale_. He recognised the writing as
Tremayne's, and when he opened the envelope he found that it
contained a somewhat lengthy letter from him, and an enclosure in an
unfamiliar hand, which consisted of only a few lines, and was signed
"Natas."

He started as his eye fell on the terrible name, which now meant so
much to him, and he naturally read the note to which it was appended
first. There was neither date nor formal address, and it ran as
follows:--

You have done well, and fulfilled your promises as a true man
should. For the personal service that you have rendered to me I
will not thank you in words, for the time may come when I shall
be able to do so in deeds. What you have done for the Cause was
your duty, and for that I know that you desire no thanks. You
have proved that you hold in your hands such power as no single
man ever wielded before. Use it well, and in the ages to come men
shall remember your name with blessings, and you, if the Master
of Destiny permits, shall at