Mrs. Haxton seemed to forget her fear of the gangway. Advancing with
sure and easy tread she gave Dick his telegram. And he was conscious,
during one unhappy minute, that Irene, and Captain Stump, and Mr.
Fenshawe, each in varying degree, shared Mrs. Haxton's opinion as to
the exceeding oddity of the fact that any one should be masquerading on
board the _Aphrodite_ under an assumed name.



CHAPTER V


MISS FENSHAWE SEEKS AN ALLY

Royson was not in the least nonplussed by this recurrence of a dilemma
for which he was not responsible. Von Kerber, of course, could have
extricated him with a word, but von Kerber, for reasons of his own,
remained, invisible. So Dick threw his head back in a characteristic
way which people soon learnt to associate with a stubborn resolve to
see a crisis through to the end. He ignored Mrs. Haxton, and spoke to
the captain.

"I am glad the question of my right name has been raised," he said.
"When Baron von Kerber comes on deck I shall ask him to settle the
matter once and for all."

"Just so," said Stump, "I would if I was you."

"The really important thing is the whereabouts of our cabins,"