"By-the-way, we're getting up a pool on the ship's run," Stein
told his new acquaintance. "Would you like to join?"

"Yes, indeed. I'm for anything in the line of chance."

"Very well. I'll see you in the smoking-room later. It will cost
you only five dollars."

Kirk suddenly recalled his financial condition and hastened to
say, a trifle lamely:

"Come to think about it, I believe I'll stay out. I never gamble."
Chancing to glance up at the moment, he found Mr. Cortlandt's eyes
fixed upon him with a peculiarly amused look, and a few minutes
later he followed Mr. Stein to the deck above.

Once in his own stateroom, the young man began a thorough
exploration, realizing more keenly than before that without
baggage or money his plight might prove distressing. But, look as
he would, he could find no trace of either, and an inadvertent
glance in the mirror betrayed the further fact that his linen was
long since past a presentable stage. Another despairing search
showed that even his watch was gone and that his only asset,
evidently overlooked by the hilarious Higgins and his co-partner
in crime, was a modest three-stone finger ring. He was regarding
this speculatively when the purser knocked, then entered at his
call.

"I've just heard that there's a mistake about your ticket," the
new-comer began. "It is made out to 'Mr. Jefferson Locke,' but the