lf laughed at his fears. Mr. Donovan rebuked
him.

"Your notions about girls," he said, "are European. You take it from
me, young man, that an American girl knows how to take care of
herself. Daisy can go without a leading rein. She can take hold on any
situation likely to arise."

No situation was in the least likely to arise. It was impossible to
suspect the gentle islanders of wishing any harm to their new queen.
There were no wild animals, no animals at all, except a dog or two and
some small cattle.

Phillips was a lover and therefore a prey to anxiety; but he was a
healthy young man and had worked hard all day. He turned into his
berth and went to sleep at once. Very early in the morning, about
three o'clock, he awoke. Nor, for all his twistings and turnings,
would sleep come to him again. His imagination, picturing a hundred
impossible dangers for the Queen, tormented him. Suddenly he
remembered the torn envelope which lay in his pocket. He puzzled
himself to find some explanation of its being on the island, in the
palace. Some one must have brought it there. Some one sitting in the
great hall had read the letter that envelope contained. Some one with
assuredly no right to be there, some one--the inference seemed
inevitable--with evil in his heart had entered the palace and dwelt
there.

Phillips could stand his imaginings no more. He got up, dressed
himself and went on deck.

The man who kept--or was supposed to keep--the anchor watch lay fast
asleep, coiled up under the shadow of the bridge. The ship was silent
save for the lapping of the water against her sides. The island lay, a
grey mystery in the half light of earliest dawn. The light increased,
and Phillips, standing in the shadow of the deck-house, could fix his
eyes on the windows of the room where the Queen lay. He heard,
suddenly, the splash of oars, dipped very gently in the water. He
looked round and saw a boat, one of the island boats, moving from the
ship's side. There was one man in her, Smith the steward. Phillips
reasoned quickly. Smith must have left his cabin stealthily, must have
come on deck, must have dropped on board the boat and cast her loose
without making a sound. What was he doing? What did he want?

Phillips, deep in the shadow of the deck-house, stood and watched. The
boat moved more quickly as she drew further from the steamer. She
headed for the sandy beach below the village. A man stood on the shore
awaiting her. The lig