to complete the work the
trio had been chosen to perform, even though death was to be his lot.

The Second Officer had been regarding Percival with ever-growing
suspicion.

"Is there anything to prove, young man, that you are not the one who
stayed behind to complete the job?" he demanded at last.

"Nothing," said Percival promptly, and somewhat scathingly, "nothing at
all, except the trifling fact that I am here talking it over with you
gentlemen instead of attending to my business, as any honest conspirator
should be doing. You may be quite sure of one thing: if there is a man
on board this ship whose business it is to finish the job, he isn't
idle. He's getting on with the job at this minute, gentlemen. If you'll
take my advice you will institute two investigations. First, search
the ship from stem to stern, from keel to bridge, for bombs or infernal
machines. Second, ask your rich passengers if they have lost anything in
the shape of pearls, diamonds, coin of the realm, or anything else worth
jumping into the ocean for."

Captain Trigger looked at him over the top of his eye-glasses.

"You are not in Copperhead Camp at present, Mr. Percival," he said
stiffly.

The young man flushed. "I beg your pardon, Captain Trigger," he said
simply.

"All you have to do," said the Second Officer, fixing him with an
inimical eye, "is to answer questions and not to tell us how to run this
ship."

Percival did his best to hold back the retort, but, failing, released it
with considerable sharpness:

"Well, if I was running this ship I'd head her for shore pretty damned
quick."

The American in command of the gun-crew was the only one who smiled, and
he did it openly. Captain Trigger's face darkened redly.

"Take this man in charge, Mr. Shannon. He wants work. Give it him. Under
guard."

"Am I suspected, Captain Trigger, of being in league--"

"Every man, every woman on board this ship is suspected," said the
Captain with decision. "Every one, sir, from myself down. The rest of us
grasp that fact, even if you do not."

And so it was that while Algernon Adonis Percival, under the watchful
eye of a burly seaman, fell to work scraping the scuppers on the boat
deck, the stern business of searching the ship went forward with
a thoroughness that left no room for doubt as to the fears and
apprehensions of the men who had her in charge. Despite the fact that
intensive, anxious hours of delving revealed no hidden, sinister a