exceptionally good credentials."

"Credentials," Crawshay observed blandly, "in which I have no
faith--no faith whatever."

The captain turned his head suddenly. There was a new expression in
his face as he looked keenly at his visitor.

"What do you mean, Mr. Crawshay?"

"Nothing much. I see you have been smoking a pipe, Captain. You will
forgive me if I light one of these perfectly damnable cigarettes which
are all I have been able to buy on board.--Thank you.--I talk better
when I smoke."

"It seems to me that you talk a great deal of nonsense," the captain
declared bluntly.

"Intermingled at times," the other insisted, "with a word or two of
sense. Now I am going to repeat that I have very little faith in this
wireless operator of yours. At three o'clock this morning--I don't
wish to tie myself down, Captain, so I will say in the vicinity of
that hour--he received a message--a long one, I should imagine. I put
it to you, sir--was that dispatch for you?"

"No," the captain admitted, "I had no message at that hour or since."

"Very-well, then," Crawshay continued, loosening a little muffler at
his throat, "I suppose you can ascertain from the purser if any
message was delivered to any one of your passengers?"