But he had not time to ponder the problem. The captain instantly
recovered himself, pulled off his cap to Miss Coburn and shook
hands all round, Mr. Coburn introducing the visitors.

"Good trip, captain?" the manager went on. "You're ahead of
schedule."

"Not so bad," the newcomer admitted in a voice and manner singularly
cultivated for a man in his position. "We had a good wind behind
us most of the way."

They chatted for a few moments, then started on their tour of
inspection. Though Hilliard was once again keenly on the alert,
the examination, so far as he could see, left nothing to be desired.
They visited every part of the vessel, from the forecastle
storerooms to the tunnel of the screw shaft, and from the chart-house
to the bottom of the hold, and every question either of the friends
asked was replied to fully and without hesitation.

That evening, like the preceding, they passed with the Coburns. The
captain and the engineer - a short, thick-set man named Bulla -
strolled up with them and remained for dinner, but left shortly
afterwards on the plea of matters to attend to on board. The friends
stayed on, playing bridge, and it was late when they said good-night
and set out to walk back to the launch.

During the intervals of play Hilliard's mind had been busy with the
mystery which he believed existed in connection with the syndicate,
and he had decided that to try to satisfy his curiosity he would go
down to the wharf that night and see if any INTERESTING operations