ldren too. His
vife she needed a change as much as he, vat with not being able to get
into any good hotels in the summer time and not being able to keep
out of them in the vinter time, she vas nearly distracted. No, I vas
selfish. My vife she vas selfish too,--and him her own brother. Vy
shouldn't he haf a vacation vonce in awhile?"

He turned abruptly to the sailor who lounged near the perspiring
Percival.

"How far is it to land, my frient?" he inquired.

The sailor touched his cap. "Which way, sir?" he asked solemnly. "Fore
or aft?"

(Percival said to himself: "By golly, I'll bet that man is an
American.")

"Vat? Land,--you know vat I mean,--the end of the ocean. How far avay is
it?"

The sailor calculated. "Well, the nearest land, sir, I should say, is
about three hundred miles away, to port."

"How deep is it here?" asked Mr. Nicklestick, moving away from the rail
suddenly.

The sailor glanced down at the water, squinted an eye, and then spoke
reassuringly.

"It ain't half as deep here as it is a little furder on," he said. "It's
only a shade over three miles where we are now, sir. We're comin' to
the deepest part of the ocean,--ought to be there inside of a couple of
hours. Here, you! On the job, on the job!"

"You ought to search that man carefully," advised Mr. Nicklestick.

"I have," growled the sailor. "He says he never uses it in that form. I
guess he's tellin' the truth."

"Never uses what?"

"Tobacco, sir."

"Oh!" said Mr. Nicklestick, and, catching a glimpse of Madame Obosky
emerging upon the deck, unceremoniously deserted his companions and
hurried off to join her, his speed being suddenly accelerated by the
spectacle of Mr. Shine, the motion picture magnate, who approached the
lady from an equidistant station and with similar haste. Mr. Block,
being a trifle near-sighted and in some doubt as to the whereabouts of
his wife, peered here and there intently, and then bore down upon the
celebrated Russian dancer, who, it would seem, was in dire need of
consolation.

Mr. Fitts followed them with a glance over his glasses and then turned
to the sailor man.

"I suppose it's against orders for me to speak to this man," he said.

"Yes, sir."

The architect sighed, and walked away.

The parade became more interesting as the lack of news from the
investigators restored a sort of hopeful optimism to the breasts of the
anxious company. Those who had maintained a stubborn air of bravado,
no