and so suddenly, that he fell full length on deck, and lay
sprawling at the foot of the mainmast.

Any one else but the Major would have smiled, at least,
at such a ludicrous sight; but McNabbs never moved a muscle
of his face.

This was too much for the stranger, and he called out,
with an unmistakably foreign accent:

"Steward!"

He waited a minute, but nobody appeared, and he called again,
still louder, "Steward!"

Mr. Olbinett chanced to be passing that minute on his way from the galley,
and what was his astonishment at hearing himself addressed like this
by a lanky individual of whom he had no knowledge whatever.

"Where can he have come from? Who is he?" he thought to himself.
"He can not possibly be one of Lord Glenarvan's friends?"

However, he went up on the poop, and approached the unknown personage,
who accosted him with the inquiry, "Are you the steward of this vessel? "

"Yes, sir," replied Olbinett; "but I have not the honor of--"

"I am the passenger in cabin Number 6."

"Number 6!" repeated the steward.