are the orthodox outlets to
this island. What's the best way to Palma?"

"La Puebla, and rail from there."

"Bet any one an even ten pesetas that Mr. Pether has cleared by the
early train from La Puebla."

"The same road leads out of here till it branches, whether one is going
to Pollensa or La Puebla," exclaimed the anarchist, with a fresh access
of excitement. "I can wire friends at both places, who can find out for
me which way they have gone. I will go and do it at once."

He rushed away to the stairhead till Haigh shouted, "Put on your
trousers, man, first!" and then he turned to his own bedroom.

"He don't take a whipping well," said I, as the gaunt figure
disappeared.

"Ruffle a fanatic," said Haigh, "and you'll soon see that he's all
superfluous nerves and useless springs."

[_There breaks in at this point an extract from the life-history of
Mr. N. C. Pether, which bears upon the main narrative. It is told by
himself._]

CHAPTER XV.

CAMARADERIE.

... Again I distinguished the Belgian drummer's steps coming aft along
the deck planks. "They are all so sick below," said he, "that I could
endure it no longer." He sat down on the saloon skylight beside me.
"You see that low hummocky island we are coming to, out yonder on the
port hand? Cabrera, monsieur, where they say Hannibal was born, and
where they hope and expect M. Blanc's successors will find a
resting-place for their tables when France and Italy hound them out of
Monte Carlo. I was over in Cabrera the other day. I ran across in the
little packet from Palma. There's a lovely harbour there--almost as
good as the one at Mahon; and the place holds two hundred people, who
are planting vines and building fortifications. My faith, it will be a
heavy change if they make that into the fashionable gambling hell of
Europe.

"You are regarding the island--you see its contours; now shut your
eyes.

"'_Messieurs faites vo' jeu._'--There's the big fast Steamer that
has just run over from Marseille in ten hours with a full passenger
list of French, English, Russians, and Americans. Few have braved the
sea-trip just to idle about the _casino_ as they used to do near
Monaco. These are men and women who have come for hard business at the
tables, and who for the most part expect to break or be broke.

"There is a gorgeous hotel awaiting them at the head of the harbour,
where they dress and dine, and then out they go, down the avenues of
rustling date-