“How long had he been with you?” asked Smith. “Just about a week,” replied the Captain. “Our regular man--Wilkins--resigned when we got to Havana to go with the Dollar Line. Wilkins recommended this man and I signed him on. That’s all I know about him.” “Very good, Captain,” approved Perutkin. “You tell us much. For if this man was signed on after the yacht arrived in Havana he never met Mrs. Breese to your knowledge, did he?” “I don’t follow,” said the Captain, puzzled. “Why, it’s simple enough,” said the Russian. “You told us that you signed him on _after_ Mrs. Breese left the yacht. So that as far as you know they had never met.” “Yes, that’s true,” said the Captain. “And yet,” continued the Russian, “this man knew who killed Mrs. Breese!” “I won’t hear any more of it,” the elder Breese suddenly shouted. “You can’t stand around here and talk of things that mean so much to my family and me!” He trembled violently. He seemed on the verge of collapse. “Get this ship into port just as fast as you can. Don’t stand there!” This at the Captain, who turned on his heel abruptly and left without a word. “But one moment!” interposed the Russian. “I am astounded, Mr. Breese. I sympathize with your feelings, but you still don’t seem to realize that a murderer may be standing not more than four feet away from you at this very moment. Don’t you want that murderer punished?” “Certainly! But you’re punishing my family, not the murderer, with all this--this--tomfoolery!” cried Breese. “I’m going down to my cabin, and I don’t want to hear anything about it. It’s up to you to arrest the man who is responsible, and when you’ve done that I’ll be very glad to hear it.” Leaning on the arm of his son, he made for the door. “Let him go,” advised Rice. “The strain has been too much for him. He doesn’t realize what’s happened.” “Exactly,” said the Russian. “I trust he may later. Now to you gentlemen who remain I must explain that our situation here is rather unique. Let me put it as clearly as I can. Mr. Smith and I believed that we could fool all of you into a state where you would fancy yourselves facing death. We had reason to suppose that the murderer of Mrs. Breese was on this yacht. “We expected the murderer to crack, to confess. But the only man who broke down was this poor fellow here. Obviously he was not the murderer of Mrs. Breese. As far as we can learn, he did not even know her. Therefore, we are led to assume the conclusion that the real murderer was not convinced by our hoax.