The letter was there, along with several unimportant papers, and with a skill worthy of a better cause the young man brought them forth and thrust them into his own pocket. This done, he left the berth deck silently and swiftly, and made his way to his state-room. “By Jove! Nuggy, you look scared,” cried Jerry Nickerson, as he entered. “What has happened?” “Hush!” Nuggy held up his hand warningly. “I just got that letter away from Pennington.” And in a whisper he related how the deed had been accomplished. “That was slick. But I’m afraid, when Pennington finds his letter missing, he’ll write another in its place.” “He won’t find anything missing,” answered Nuggy, with a grin. “Do you mean to say you are going to put the letter back?” demanded Nickerson, in astonishment. “I’m going to put the envelope back--after I have refilled it with several sheets of blank paper.” “By Jove! Nuggy, you are getting slicker every day.” “Ralph Branders won’t know where the blank paper came from, and of course he won’t do anything. In the mean time I will send the letter to my father, with the full particulars of all I have learned; and, when Pennington makes his next move, we’ll be more than ready for him.” With great care Nuggy Polk opened the letter addressed to the Richmond lawyer, being cautious not to tear the envelope. Once open, the closely written pages inside were abstracted; and then the envelope was refilled with pages from a blank writing pad, after which it was sealed up once more as before. When Nuggy revisited the berth deck, he found Gilbert sleeping as sound as ever. Hurrying up, he began to place the letter in the young lieutenant’s coat. As mentioned before, the wind was rising. Consequently, the transport was not riding as easily as earlier on the trip. Just as Nuggy placed his hand in the coat, a lurch of the vessel sent him with a bump into one of the uprights supporting Gilbert’s cot, and then landed him flat on his back in the passageway. “Oh!” cried the young man, and scrambled to his feet as quickly as possible. But the rolling of the ship and the noise made by Nuggy awoke Gilbert on the instant. “What’s the matter?” cried the young lieutenant, and sat up, staring around him. Before he could get to his feet, Nuggy Polk was making off down the dim passageway, which was illuminated by only a few incandescent lights. [Illustration: NUGGY POLK WAS MAKING OFF DOWN THE DIM PASSAGEWAY.] “Phwat’s the matter, lieutenant?” came from Dan Casey, who was dozing on the edge of his cot, not far off. “That man--what was he doing here?” demanded Gilbert. “Sure, an’ I dunno. Stop there!” cried Casey. But Nuggy only ran the faster, and in a few seconds disappeared from view. “I believe he was at my coat,” went on Gilbert, as he picked the garment from the floor. Under the coat lay the documents and the sealed envelope.