Weather-beaten Man hasn't got a list; he asks to be allowed to examine Sir PETER'S. Aha! the Weather-beaten Man's name is not there. Sir THOMAS and Sir PETER eye _him_ with suspicion now. He explains and tells his story. If my name had been on the list I should have disbelieved him; but as it isn't, I only think that his account of being here at all is not so plausible and clear as my own. "You've got the number of your berth?" asks Sir THOMAS, looking round at me doubtfully, as if he were giving me a last chance. "Berth!" I exclaim. "No, I haven't. You see I only telegraphed----" and here I am about to repeat my entire explanation, when Sir PETER and Sir THOMAS cut it short by shaking their heads ominously. "I'm going away on Saturday night," I say, as if the prospect of my leaving them soon would soften them a bit. "Saturday!" returns Sir PETER, with a chuckle. "'Pon my soul I don't see how you're going to do that." And he smiles derisively. "No one goes on shore till Monday," observes Sir THOMAS, with decision. "Certainly not," says the Weather-beaten Man, who is not on the list, turning against me; "and, for my part, I don't care how long I stay in such good quarters." After this there is an uncomfortable silence. Sir THOMAS says there are two hundred and fifty guests. Heavens! and I had thought it was a small and select party of genial bachelors! We read our papers, the Weather-beaten Man in his corner, I in mine. Sir PETER and Sir THOMAS smoke, and then both fall asleep. Waking up, they fall to conversing about a trip they have already had on the _Regina_, comparing notes of comfort and so forth. I'm out of it. So is the Weather-beaten Stranger. I begin to wish I hadn't come, or, at all events, that I had brought my invitation card as proof of my identity, and a verification of my statement. Wish, too, I'd brought ROSSHER'S telegram. No good wishing. I haven't. I'm not there yet; but what frightens me is, that as there are two hundred and fifty passengers, if I am the only one who wants to go on shore on Saturday night, they will never upset all the arrangements for the sake of sending me off in a launch or a gig, or whatever they have in use. And if I can't return Saturday----However, here I am, and I'll go through with it.