"Cat?" I suggested.

"Nothing like it," said Mr. Bell. "Mr. Cavanagh, it was some
uncanny thing! I'm afraid I can't explain quite what I mean, but
it was something I wanted to shoot!"

"Where did it go?"

The chief officer shrugged his shoulders. "Just vanished," he said.
"I hope I don't see it again."

At Tilbury the Mohammedan party went ashore in a body. Among them
were veiled women. They contrived so to surround a central figure
that I entirely failed to get a glimpse of the mysterious Mr.
Azraeel. Ahmadeen was standing close by the companion-way, and I
had a momentary impression that one of the women slipped something
into his hand. Certainly, he started; and his dusky face seemed to
pale.

Then a deck steward came out of Deeping's stateroom, carrying the
brown bag which the Professor had brought aboard at Port Said.
Deeping's voice came:

"Hi, my man! Let me take that bag!"

The bag changed hands. Five minutes later, as I was preparing to
go ashore, arose a horrid scream above the berthing clamour. Those
passengers yet aboard made in the direction from which the scream
had proceeded.