effects are searched, and at once."

"It's a thing that's never happened before on any steamer I've
commanded," the captain said reluctantly, "but if it has to be done, I
will do it myself."

"What chance of fog is there?" his companion enquired.

"We shall get some within twenty-four hours, for certain. It's coming
up from the west now."

"Then the sooner you make a start with Mr. Jocelyn Thew, the better,"
Crawshay suggested. "I don't think there's one chance in a hundred
that he'd have those documents in any place where we should be likely
to find them by any ordinary search, but you can never tell. The
cleverest men often adopt the most obvious methods."

The captain yawned.

"I'll have two hours' sleep," he decided, "then Dix and I will tackle
the job. I don't suppose you want to be in it?" "I should prefer
not," Crawshay replied. "I'll follow your example," he added, rising
to his feet.

The habits of Mr. Jocelyn Thew on shore were doubtless most regular,
but on board ship he had developed a proclivity for sleeping until
long after the first breakfast gong. About half-past eight that
morning, he was awakened from a sound sleep by a tap on his door, and
instead of the steward with his hot water, no less a person entered
than the captain, followed by the purser. Jocelyn sat up in his bunk