"To wear a--a dagger pin thrust through a--a tie in which there is the least bit of--red. It is a sign of--of bloodshed. I--I beg you to remove that--that pin from that scarf!" The little man seemed greatly agitated. After a moment of hesitation, Frank laughed lightly and took the pin from the scarf. Immediately the visitor seemed to breathe more freely. "Ah--er--thank you!" he said. "I--I've seen omens enough. Everything seems to point to--to a--tragedy. I regret exceedingly that I ever sailed--on this steamer. I--I shall be thankful when I put my feet on dry land--if I ever do again." "You must be rather superstitious," suggested Frank. "Not at all--that is, not to any extent," Mr. Slush hastened to aver. "There are a few signs--and omens--which I know--will come true." "Indeed!" "Yes, sir!" asserted the little man, with surprising positiveness. "I know something will happen--to this boat. I--I am positive of it." "Why are you so positive?" "Everything foretells it. At the very start it was--foretold. I was foolish then that I did not demand--demand, sir--to be set ashore, even after the steamer had left--her pier." "How was that?" "There was a cat, sir--a poor, stray cat--that came aboard this steamer. They did not let her stay--understand me? They--they drove her off!" "And that was a bad omen?" "Bad! It was--ah--er--frightful! Old sailors will tell you that. Always--er--let a cat remain on board a vessel--if--she--comes on board. If you--if you do not--you will regret it." "And you think something must happen to this steamer?" "I'm afraid so--I feel it. There is--something mysterious about the vessel, gentlemen. I don't know--just what it is--but it's something. The--the captain looks worried. I--I've noticed it. I've talked with him. Couldn't get any satisfaction--out of him. But I--I know!" "I'm afraid you are a croaker," said Diamond, unable to keep still longer. "You may think so--now; but wait and see--wait. Keep your eyes--open. I--I think you will see something. I think you will find there are--mysterious things going on." "Well, you have not told us what you want of us, Mr. Slush," said Frank. "That's so--forgot it." Then, of a sudden, to Bruce: "Don't twirl your thumbs--that way. Do it backward--backward! It--it's a sure sign of--disaster to twirl your thumbs--forward." "All right," grunted the big fellow; "backward it is." And he reversed the motion. "Thank you," breathed Mr. Slush, with a show of relief. "Now, I'll tell you--why I called. I--er--saw a young man--leaving this room--a few minutes ago." "Yes." "Mr. Bloodgood." "Yes." "I--I have taken an interest in--Mr. Bloodgood. I--I think he is--a rather nice young man." "I don't admire your taste," came from Jack. "Eh? I don't know him--very well. You understand. Met him--in the smoking-room. Sometimes I--er--play cards--for amusement. Met him that way." "Does he play for amusement?" asked Frank.