ed on the bow, as well as upon the dingy towing astern. Her deck
lay almost even with the promenade, and he was able to trace her lines
clearly from where he sat. The craft had evidently been constructed for
comfort as well as speed. He noted two short masts unrigged, a bridge
forward of the wheel-house, together with a decidedly commodious cabin
aft. The deck space between was clear, except for the hatchway leading
down to the engine. The planking was clean, as though newly scrubbed,
while every handrail glistened in the sun. The cabin appeared tightly
closed, even the windows being heavily draped. Some mechanics were
evidently working below; there was a sound of hammering, and occasionally
a fellow in overalls appeared at the hatch opening. No one wearing any
semblance of a yacht uniform was visible, although four or five men
lounged about the deck, or close at hand on the pier, apparently
connected with the vessel. Two were well-dressed, rather gentlemanly
appearing fellows, the others of a decidedly rougher class, although
bearing no outward marks of being sea-men. While an air of carelessness
was assumed by all these, yet West, watching them closely, felt that
they were very much on their guard, anxiously waiting an opportunity to
depart. No face among the party had any familiarity; he had encountered
none of them at Mike's Place the evening before. Satisfied as to this, he
left the table, and strolled out on to the promenade, joining the crowd
watching the Lincoln Park boat get underway. So far as he could observe
this movement attracted no attention, although a moment later his eyes
plainly caught a bit of drapery drawn slightly aside at one of the cabin
windows of the _Seminole_, and, he felt convinced, the quick gesture of a
woman's hand.

There was a woman on board then! This certainty of knowledge by evidence
of his own eyes, set his blood leaping. Whatever the purposes of these
people he was again upon the right trail. The uplifted curtain was
immediately lowered, and, if any signal had thus been conveyed, there was
no other evidence visible. A little later one of the two better dressed
fellows loafing on the pier, a rather heavily built man, with closely
clipped red moustache, and a scar over one eye, slowly crossed the deck,
and entered the cabin. He came forth again a moment later, asked some
question of the workmen below and then clambered back carelessly over
the rail, joining his companion on the pier.