o accept our escort, and here we
are."

"Good heavens!" exclaimed Mr. Daventry. "But--I don't understand yet.
How did you come to be by the Andamans? Where did you come from?"

"Left London early Friday morning: came by Constantinople and
Karachi."

"Upon my word, Smith, if I didn't know you I should be inclined to ask
if you are sober. You have come all the way from London since Friday
morning?"

"Exactly. But I know you'll excuse me: I haven't time to tell you any
more. We are already four hours late, and every hour means nearly two
hundred miles. There are two things I want to do. First to arrange
with the port officer to send help to Captain Bunce; then to get the
petrol and lubricating oil ordered for me here. Van Kloof's the man.
You know him, of course."

"Yes, but it's Sunday."

"The better the day, the better the deed. I must have the petrol; I
must start in two hours or less. And I should like a good bath and a
breakfast first."

"You shall have both, but surely you can wait till daylight."

"I'm afraid I can't. It is very awkward, I admit, and I fear I shall
give you and several others a lot of trouble; but needs must when the
devil drives, as they say, and the devil in this case is Father Time.
You see, I've not only got to take some rifles and ammunition to the
shipwrecked party, but I must rejoin my ship by Friday morning, or
there'll be ructions. I've got a name for overstepping the limit, and
my captain warned me that I'd better rejoin promptly this time."

"We mustn't hinder him, Jack," said Mrs. Daventry.

"But, hang it all, Mary, do you understand what it means? He'll kill
himself, rushing round the world like this."

"Not at all; I'm pretty tough," said Smith. "Now, old fellow, what is
the best you can do for me?"

"Go and get your things on, Jack," said Mrs. Daventry practically.
"You can take Mr. Smith down to the harbour and get what he wants.
I'll see about the bath and the breakfast, and I am sure Miss Bunce
will help; I won't disturb the servants. Really, it is quite
exciting."

"Thank you, Mrs. Daventry. It is very good of you. But I'm sure Miss
Bunce ought to go to sleep."

"I am not a bit sleepy," said the girl, "and I shall certainly help
Mrs. Daventry."

"Come along then, my dear," said the hostess. "We will go and see to
things at once."

In five minutes Mr. Daventry was down. He and Smith left the house and
made their way rapidly to the harbour. The port officer co