There was a sound of footsteps, and the soft closing of a door.
Presently another door closed, outside, and I heard the two men
come upstairs. I jumped out of bed, and locked the door of my
room. It was fairly plain to me that I was in the house with a
couple of swindlers, of some kind or other, and though I didn't
believe they would harm me, there was no need to take unnecessary
chances.

They went into one of the front rooms. I heard four thumps, one
after the other, as they took off their shoes, and threw them on
the floor, so I judged they were going to bed. As I lay there,
listening for them to begin to snore, I fell asleep myself.

I waked, a little at a time, in a room which was in broad
daylight, with the sun shining through one window. For a moment I
could not remember where I was,--at home, on the "Hoppergrass," in
the jail at Bailey's Harbor, or on the other yacht. Then I
recalled Rogers's Island, Mr. Snider and the Professor. I got up
and listened for them, and looked out of the window, but I neither
heard nor saw anybody. I dressed, unlocked the door, and tried to
open it. But I could not do so,--a bolt had been shot, or a button
turned, and the door was locked outside. While I was rattling and
shaking at it I heard Mr. Snider in the passage.

"Dear me!" he said, "what's the matter? Is that you, James? Just
wait a moment."

I heard a fumbling, and my door came open.