With wildly beating heart the girl followed her conductor to a large,
darkly-furnished room, where, by a table scattered with papers, sat a
tall, bronzed seaman.

"I believe you are leaving India to-morrow? Would you mind telling me
where you are going?"

"To Africa," a look of surprise crossing his face.

"Are you going to take passengers?"

"That was not my intention."

"But if any one asked you, would you refuse?"

"I don't know. I did not want any one on board," Moriz answered
uneasily.

"If you knew it would do some one a great service? l am rich, and
would pay you well; so do not hesitate on that account."

"Is it you who wish to go?"

Miriam blushed, and bit her lip angrily. She had not intended to
betray her secret so soon.

"Yes, it is I, and two other people. Will you take us, and set us down
on one of those small islands on the coast, where no one would find
us?"