The Yankee, laughing loudly, wished his friends good-bye. "Guess a Chinaman won’t learn manners in London, anyhow." "Well, he’s not a gentleman, at any rate," said Helston, when he had gone. "Funny those three being there; you don’t often see them so far from the docks." "My blessed aunt!" said the Doctor excitedly, "it was a put-up job. I see it clearly. Hopkins wanted them to be able to recognize us again. Didn’t you notice that they looked at us and no one else; and, now I think of it, he put his arm through yours just at the time—that was to point you out more particularly." "Stuff and nonsense, Doc! You must not jump to conclusions like that. It was all done too naturally; I can’t believe it." "You always were an idiot," growled the Doctor. "I’d bet you anything I’m right." However, every day after this, Helston met these Chinese—not always the same, he felt sure—and they always gave him a cold, impassive stare from under their slit-like lids as they passed him going to or coming from the office. Did he go round a back, unfrequented way, they were waiting for him outside his office when he left it. Did he walk on the other side of the road, they crossed over to gaze at him. There was no doubt left in Helston’s or in the Doctor’s mind that these men were in Hopkins’s pay, and were being made familiar with Helston’s appearance, in order to be able to kidnap or kill him when Hopkins gave the signal. Naturally it was exceedingly difficult to remain on friendly terms with this man, whose presence seemed to make their flesh creep, but outwardly there was no change in their relationship, or, if there was, Hopkins did not seem to notice it. A month later and the incessant strain of being constantly watched wherever he went, and the endless worries and delays attending the expedition, began to have their effect on Helston, who was visibly losing the vigour his new appointment had first given him. "Let us get out of this, old chap," he almost gasped one day when, coming back to the hotel, they had been met by three more villainous Chinese standing almost inside the door. "Pour me out something to drink, Doc, to take the taste of the ugly brutes out of my mouth. If I don’t get away soon my luck will desert me again, and they will murder me somehow or other. I can’t stand them much longer." Helston paced up and down in a very agitated manner, and it was very evident that the strain of the last few weeks was wearing him to a shadow. "Look here, old chap," he said, coming to a halt, and turning abruptly to Dr. Fox, "it’s my idea that if Hopkins intends mischief he will wait till the last few days before either disappearing himself or setting those sneaking Chinese dogs on to me. If we can only get him aboard and start several days before he expects the expedition to sail, his treacherous schemes may fail.