our corridor. Her maid, and her two Swahili servants were obliged to
pass our doors to get to her cabin at all. As nearly all ships' cabins
on those hot routes do, ours intercommunicated by a metal grill for
ventilating purposes, and a word spoken in one cabin above a whisper
could be heard in the next.

Fred was the first to realize conditions. He opened his door in his
usual abrupt way to visit Monty's cabin and almost fell over the Syrian
maid, her eye at Monty's key-hole--a little too early in the game to
pass for sound judgment, as Fred was at pains to assure her.

The alarm being given, we locked our cabin doors, repaired to the
smoking-room, and ordered drinks at a center table where no
eavesdropper could overhear.

"It's one of two things," said Monty. He had his folding board out,
and we did not doubt he would play chess from there to London. "Either
they know exactly where that ivory is, or they haven't the slightest
idea."

"My, but you're wise!" said Will.

Monty ignored him. "They suspect us of knowing. They mean to prevent
our getting any of it. If they do know, they've some reason of their
own for not getting it themselves at present. If they don't know, they
suspect we know and intend to claim what we find."

"How should they think we know?" objected Will. "The first we ever
heard of the stuff was in the lazaretto in Zanzibar."