A thorough search revealed the fact that nothing had been
taken but Clayton's two revolvers and the small supply of
ammunition he had saved out for them.

"Those are the very things I most wish they had left us,"
said Clayton, "and the fact that they wished for them and
them alone is most sinister."

"What are we to do, John?" asked his wife. "Perhaps you
were right in that our best chance lies in maintaining a
neutral position.

"If the officers are able to prevent a mutiny, we have nothing
to fear, while if the mutineers are victorious our one slim
hope lies in not having attempted to thwart or antagonize them."

"Right you are, Alice. We'll keep in the middle of the road."

As they started to straighten up their cabin, Clayton and
his wife simultaneously noticed the corner of a piece of paper
protruding from beneath the door of their quarters. As Clayton
stooped to reach for it he was amazed to see it move
further into the room, and then he realized that it was being
pushed inward by someone from without.

Quickly and silently he stepped toward the door, but, as
he reached for the knob to throw it open, his wife's hand fell
upon his wrist.

"No, John," she whispered. "They do not wish to be seen,