"Where are you going now, Philip?" asked Miss Collingsby. "I am obliged to chase Mr. Whippleton. I told you what he had been doing. He has swindled your father out of a large sum of money, and he has also robbed me of a valuable package, which was put in my care for safe keeping. I must catch him if I follow him all night." "You are very faithful to my father's interests. I didn't think Mr. Whippleton was such a bad man." "Your father did not think so, either," I continued; and I explained to her in full the financial operations of the junior partner. "Do you expect to catch him, Philip?" "I mean to do so." "What can you do with him? He is a man, and you are but a boy--excuse me, a young man." "I don't object to being called a boy, for I am one; but I think I am a match for Mr. Whippleton, physically." "I think you are, after your battle with Mr. Waterford, who is larger than Mr. Whippleton. But what am I to do?" "I don't know. I must not lose sight of the Florina." "I don't want to stay all night in this boat," said she, timidly. "If I run over to the city and land you, I may as well give up all thought of ever seeing Mr. Whippleton again," I replied, annoyed at the situation. "My mother will be very anxious about me." "I know she will; but what can I do?" "I really don't know." "If Mr. Whippleton leads me any where near a railroad station, I will see that you are put in the way of returning to your home. I am sure if your father was here, he would insist upon my chasing the villain. If he escapes me, your father will lose a large sum of money--not less than forty thousand dollars, and perhaps more." "How terrible! You must do as you think best, Philip, without regard to me. I don't like to stay in this boat all night." "It isn't a bad place to stay," I replied, glancing down into the handsome and comfortable cabin. "Perhaps not; but I had rather be at home. My father and mother will both worry about me." "They will ascertain before night where you are; and perhaps Mr. Waterford will return to the city and inform them that you are safe." "He will not be likely to say anything about me." "Your father sent me to follow Mr. Whippleton, and I am now literally obeying his orders." I saw that my fair companion was uneasy in a direction she did not care to explain; and I am sure I respected her all the more for the delicacy of feeling she exhibited. If she and her mother objected to her being alone in the yacht with Mr. Waterford, they might also object to me. I deemed it necessary to say and do all I could to assure her of her own safety. "Can you steer a boat, Miss Collingsby?" I asked. "I have steered this boat," she replied. "Would you like to take the tiller for a while?" "I can't steer unless some one tells me which way to go." "You can follow the Florina--can you not?" "Why do you ask, Philip?"