all employ it. You shall lose your berth! Thees
yoong lady within thees room ees my fiancee! I forbid you to enter
forcibly----"

"Haven't I knocked? Wot's spilin' you? I am doing my duty. Back away
from this 'ere door, I tell you!"

"You spik thees-a-way, so impolite----"

"Get out o' my way! Blime d'you think I'll stand 'ere jawin' any
longer?"

"I am membaire of Parliament----"

And the defiant voice of Jim's own little cockney steward retorted,
interrupting:

"Ahr, stow it! Don't I tell you as how a lydy telephones me just now
that my young gentleman is in there? Get away from that door, you
blighter, or I'll bash your beak in!"

The door trembled under a sudden and terrific kick; the wordy quarrel
ceased; hurried steps retreated along the corridor; a pass key rattled
in the lock, and the door was flung wide open:

"Mr. Neeland, sir--oh, my Gawd, wot ever 'ave they gone and done, sir,
to find you 'ere in such a 'orrid state!"

But the little cockney lost no time; fingers and pen-knife flew;
Neeland, his arms free, tore the bandage from his mouth and spat out
the wad of cloth.

"I'll do the rest," he gasped, forcing the words from his bruised and
distorted lips; "follow that man who was outside talking to you! Find
him if you can. He had been planning to blow up this ship!"

"_That_ man, sir!"

"Yes! Did you know him?"

"Yes, sir; but I darsn't let on to him I knew him--what with 'earing
that you was in here----"

"You _did_ know him?"

"Yes, sir."

"Who is he?"

"Mr. Neeland, sir, that there cove is wot he says he is, a member of
Parliament, and his name is Wilson----"

"You're mad! He's an Eurasian, a spy; his name is Karl Breslau--I
heard it from the others--and he tried to blow up the captain's cabin
and the bridge with those three bombs lying there on the bed!"

"My God, sir--what you tell me may be so, but what I say is true, sir;
that gentleman you heard talking outside the door to me is Charles
Wilson, member of Parliament, representing Glebe and Wotherness; and I
knew it w'en I 'anded 'im the 'ot stuff!--'strewth I did, sir--and
took my chance you'd 'elp me out if I got in too rotten with the
company!"

Neeland said:

"Certainly you may count on me. You're a brick!" He continued to rub
and slap and pinch his arms and legs to restore the circulation, and
finally ventured to rise to his shaky feet. The steward offered an
arm; together they hobbled to the door, summoned another st