"No, you are not. Sign, and you have found fortune and a friend." "I dare not sign." "You dare not refuse." Somers walked up and down the state-room, apparently in great mental agony. "Shall I sign?" said he, in a loud tone, as though he were speaking to the empty air. "Not so loud, man!" interposed Pillgrim, angrily. At that instant two light raps were distinctly heard. "What's that?" demanded the traitor, greatly alarmed. "I will sign it," promptly added Somers, to whom the two raps seemed to be perfectly intelligible. "What was that noise?" asked Pillgrim, fearfully. "Is there any one in Garboard's state-room?" "I think not." The second lieutenant was not satisfied. He opened the door and looked into the adjoining state-room, but there was no person there, and the ward-room was empty. There was no one within hearing, and the conspirator recovered his wonted self-possession. "You will sign?" said he. "I will." "I knew you would, and therefore I prepared the document; read it," he continued, taking a paper from his pocket. Somers read. It was simply an agreement to pay forty thousand dollars, when he married Kate Portington, in consideration of certain assistance rendered the signer, but without any allusion to the circumstances under which it was given. As a legal document, of course it was good for nothing, as both parties well understood. Somers signed it. "Now, Mr. Somers, we are friends," said Pillgrim, as he folded up the paper, and restored it to his pocket. "You have done me a good turn, and I have done you one." Somers, unwilling to regard Pillgrim as a fool, believed that this paper was intended to ruin him in the estimation of the Portington family, and that the villain intended to marry her himself when her apparent suitor was disposed of. "Is this all you expect of me?" asked Somers. "This is the principal thing. I may have occasion to use you again; if I do, I shall not hesitate to call upon you. You are in my confidence now." "Will you tell me, then, where the Ben Nevis is bound? I may want to find her, for I haven't much taste for the old navy now." "Ah, you make better progress than I anticipated. She is bound to St. Marks." This was a lie, as Somers well knew. "Coles and Langdon said she was to make Mobile." "The plan was changed. You must not lay much stress on what you heard that night. It was all a blind,--or most of it was." "Indeed?" "The conversation at the house in Front Street was carried on for your especial benefit," added Pillgrim, laughing and rubbing his hands. "Langdon wrote both letters about the wounded sailor; there was no such person. The old woman that kept the house was in my pay. When I spoke so warmly in your praise to Langdon, I knew that you were listening to all I said; indeed, I said it to you rather than to Langdon."