"In the place where I've just met you, sir," replied Saxby. "I was running past round the corner into the street, on my way home from Clapham, when a young lady met and passed me, going pretty nearly as quick as I was. She had her face muffled in a black veil, but I am nearly sure it was Miss Verena Fontaine. I thought she must be coming from Pym's lodgings here." Captain Tanerton and his chief mate exchanged glances of intelligence under the light of the street gas-lamp. The former then turned to Saxby. "Mr. Saxby," said he, "I would advise you not to mention this little incident. It would not, I am sure, be pleasant to Miss Verena Fontaine's friends to hear of it. And, after all, you are not sure that it was she." "Very true, sir," replied Saxby. "I'll not speak of it again." "You hear, sir," answered Ferrar softly, as Saxby stepped on to open the house-door. "This seems to bear out what I said. And, by the way, sir, I also saw----" "Hush!" cautiously interrupted the captain--for they had reached the door, and Mrs. Richenough stood at it. And what Mr. Ferrar further saw, whatever it might be, was not heard by Captain Tanerton. There was no present opportunity for private conversation: and Ferrar was away in the morning with the _Rose of Delhi_. * * * * * After parting with Captain Tanerton on leaving the ship, I made my way to the Mansion House, took an omnibus to Covent Garden, and called at the Tavistock to tell Mr. Brandon of the return of the ship. Mr. Brandon kept me to dinner. About eight o'clock I left him, and went to the Marylebone Road to see the Fontaines. Coralie was in the drawing-room alone. "Is it you, Johnny Ludlow!" she gaily cried, when old Ozias showed me in. "You are as welcome as flowers in May. Here I am, without a soul to speak to. You must have a game at chess with me." "Your sister is not come home, then?" "Not she. I thought it likely she would come, as soon as the ship's head was turned seaward--I told you so. But she has not. And now the ship's back again, I hear. A fine time you must have had of it!" "We just had. But how did you know?" "From papa. Papa betook himself to the docks this afternoon, to assure himself, I presume, that the _Rose of Delhi_ was gone. And my belief is, Johnny, that he will work himself into a nervous fever," Coralie broke off to say, in her equable way, as she helped me to place the pieces. "When he got there, he found the ship was back again. This put him out a little, as you may judge; and something else put him out more. He heard that Vera went on board with Pym yesterday afternoon when the ship was lying in St. Katherine's Docks. Upon that, what notion do you suppose he took up? I have first move, don't I?" "Certainly. What notion did he take up?" The reader must remember that I knew nothing of Sir Dace's visit to the ship.