"Not here!" "No, sir." "He can't be far off." Somers entered the state-room. Certainly the prisoner was not there; nor was there any indication of the means by which he had departed. The partitions between this and the adjoining state-rooms were undisturbed. The door had been securely locked, and the key was in the pocket of the commanding officer. The traitor could not have crawled through the bull's eye which lighted the room, for it was not more than nine inches in diameter. The marines who had been on guard during the night were summoned. They all told the same story; not a sound had been heard in the room. Both the master's mates who had kept the watches on deck were examined, but they had no information to communicate. "This is very remarkable," said Somers to his first officer. "Very remarkable," replied Mr. Hudson, who seemed to be even more bewildered than his commander. "Where is Captain Walmsley?" asked Somers of the steward. "I don't know, sir. I 'aven't seen him since 'e hate his supper last night." "See if he is in his state-room, steward." He was not in his state-room. His bed had not been occupied; no one had seen him since the Ben Nevis parted company with the Chatauqua. "Are there any boats missing, Mr. Hudson?" continued Somers. "No, sir; the steamer had two quarter-boats, and a life-boat forward. They are all in their places." "Wasn't there a dingy, or a jolly-boat, at the stern?" "No, sir; I am sure that no boat is missing." "Then of course the prisoner must be on board." "No doubt of that, Mr. Somers. In my opinion he has concealed himself in the hold, and intends to escape after we go into port." "But how could he get into the hold?" "That is more than I know, sir. He isn't in his state-room; he wouldn't have jumped overboard forty miles from land." "He must be found before we make the capes," said Somers, who could not help thinking how "cheap" he should feel if compelled to report the escape of his prisoner to the department. He returned to the table and finished his breakfast, as a matter of necessity now,--for man must eat,--rather than of inclination. The Scotch ham seemed to have lost its fine flavor, and it was really a pity that he had not completed his repast before the escape of Pillgrim was discovered. But Somers was satisfied that the traitor was still on board, and he was determined to find him, even if he had to throw the valuable cargo of the Ben Nevis overboard, in order to effect his purpose. When Somers had worried down his breakfast, he went on deck to detail parties to engage in the search. The hatches were taken off, and Mr. Hudson was directed to examine the hold, while Somers himself, with the marines and a couple of seamen, went to the cabin for the purpose of tracing the fugitive from his starting-point. This appeared to be no easy matter, for as yet there was not the slightest clew to his means of egress.