I returned to my seat completely bewildered. I had gained vitally important information, but had no idea what use to make of it. Rack my wits as I would, I couldn’t see the connecting link with Barosa’s plans. Then all suddenly a wild thought occurred to me: far-fetched, extravagant, and grossly improbable; but not impossible. It was that an attempt was to be made on the king’s life, and that this crewless yacht was to afford the means of escape for the assassins. Possible or impossible I could put it to the test. It was good enough to form a working hypothesis, and I plunged into the consideration of the steps to take. In the first place Dagara must go back to the city with the papers and these must find their way to Barosa. I saw how to do that. I called Burroughs to me. “Jack, I am going to take Dagara back to the city in the launch, and I want you to go at once to my rooms and liberate the fellow we caught last night. It must be done cleverly. Tell Simmons to leave Foster in the room alone with him and then to fire a shot and yell to Foster for help. Foster is to rush out, leaving the door open and the way clear for the scoundrel to get off. He must be at liberty inside an hour from now and must have no suspicion that the thing is a plant. Get going, man. I’ll tell you all afterwards,” I said as he hesitated and wanted to ask questions. Then I went down to Dagara to test him. I should have to trust him, for his part was of the very pith and marrow of my new plans. CHAPTER XIX SPY WORK Dagara having finished both his task and his lunch was waiting in some concern to know what was to come next, and he appeared relieved when I said he was to return in the launch. “I wish you to go back,” I told him, “and act precisely as if our meeting had never taken place. With this exception--should any change be made in these arrangements for the King’s arrival to-morrow evening, let me know them and do not divulge them to any one.” “And about Mademoiselle Dominguez?” he asked. “Well, what about her?” I repeated, not understanding. “She got you to meet me to-day after sending me word where to go.” “Oh no, that was a fairy tale of mine. I wrote that cipher letter. Yours has not yet reached her brother. But it will do so very soon now, and she will no doubt go to your house as usual.” “But how did you get the cipher?” he asked in blank astonishment. “Never mind about that. The question is, will you do exactly as I ask? I will call at M. Volheno’s office to-morrow afternoon and you must manage to see me and----” “He has an appointment from four to five with M. Franco at the latter’s bureau. If you come then I could see you privately without exciting any suspicion.” I agreed to do this and then, having got from him his address and the time when he would reach his house and give the papers to Miralda, I made certain that no one on the _Rampallo_ was taking stock of our movements, and smuggled him into the launch.