leave your cabin--or are you joking? You know I never know when you are.
It is very dreadful, either way."

But here Miss Chubb, with ready tact, interrupted any possible retort
from Mr. Crosby.

"Look," she said, pointing to some of the other passengers, who, at
a little distance, had grouped about the first mate in animated
discussion. "I wonder what those gentlemen are so interested about. Do
go and see."

Before he could reply, Mr. Winslow, detaching himself from the group,
hurried towards them.

"Here's a row: Hurlstone is missing! Can't be found anywhere! They think
he's fallen overboard!"

The two frightened exclamations from Miss Chubb and Mrs. Brimmer
diverted attention from the sudden paleness of Miss Keene, who had
impulsively approached them.

"Impossible!" she said hurriedly.

"I fear it is so," said Brace, who had followed Winslow; "although," he
added in a lower tone, with an angry glance at the latter, "that brute
need not have blustered it out to frighten everybody. They're searching
the ship again, but there seems no hope. He hasn't been seen since last
night. He was supposed to be in his state-room--but as nobody missed
him--you know how odd and reserved he was--it was only when the steward
couldn't find him, and began to inquire, that everybody remembered they