Shortly after this the steamer slid silently by the village of Buzzards Bay, its many lights twinkling about a mile to the north, for it wasn’t situated directly on the canal; and a little later passed out into the open waters of the Bay itself; and on that, in obedience to the “full speed ahead” ring from the wheel-house, broke into her normal stride again, heading out toward Block Island Sound. About this time, when the _North Land_ had been clear of the canal for something like eight or ten minutes, Mr. Harker’s attention appeared to be suddenly arrested by something below on the forward deck. “Well, doesn’t that beat the——” He broke off and stood staring down. “Anything wrong?” “Not exactly wrong—only he was telling us just now he was so completely done up he’d got to go to bed!” “Your partner, you mean?” “Yes, Pentecost! And now he’s gone into conference with a young lady! Over there on the left. See?” Harker was pointing to a man near the port rail, whose back was turned to them and who was in animated conversation with a person who, in the dim light, appeared to be an attractive young lady. Captain Snow laughed a little. “So he has,” he said. “Well, it’s never too late for that!” “There’s truth in what you say,” Harker admitted, and thereupon changed the subject. “New Bedford light we see over there?” he asked. “No. That’s Bird Island. Five points starboard.” “What’s that one you’re aiming for?” “Dead ahead you mean?” “Yes.” “That’s a fairway buoy—Buzzards Bay Buoy they call it. We change the course there for Nigger Ledge.” Most likely you picked it up when I mentioned that it was only the back of the gentleman on the forward deck that could be seen from the pilot house, and naturally it was the said back that resembled Mr. Harker’s partner; and that was all that did. The man wasn’t Pentecost at all, for the good and sufficient reason that that gentleman had jumped off the steamer fifteen minutes before. It was one of his gang of “trusties,” brought along for the purpose, with about the same build as himself, entirely similar hat and clothing, and well matched hair and back of head, so far as could be seen. The young woman with him was Miss Mary Finch Dugas, their office stenographer, who was occasionally sent out on an operation where the utmost precaution was necessary. * * * * *