Once more the searchlight smote him full in the face and then, as if making a pointed gesture, swept from him, and for a long second illuminated the black hull and the yellow spars of the _Sappho_. Then, as if its earthly business were over, the shaft of light, lengthening and lengthening as it rose above intervening obstacles, the bay, the Stepping Stone light, the Long Island shore, turned slowly upward until it pointed at the zenith. Then it went out. "That," thought Brett, "was almost a hint. First it stirred me up; then it pointed at the _Sappho_; then it indicated that there is One above, and then it went out." He headed the launch straight for the _Sappho_, and began to wonder what one had to do to get aboard of a magnate's yacht at night. He turned to the engineer. "Gryce," he said, "what do you know about yachts?" "What about 'em?" Gryce answered sulkily. He was still thinking of the kitchen-maid and the unfinished ham, or else of the ham and the unfinished kitchen maid, I am not sure which. "What about 'em?" Brett echoed. "Do they take up their gangways at night?" "Unless some one's expected," said Gryce. "Do they have a watchman?" "One forward and one aft on big yachts." "Making two," said Brett. "But aren't there usually two gangways--one for the crew and one for the owner's guests?" "Crew's gangway is to starboard," Gryce vouchsafed. Brett wondered if there was anything else that he ought to know. Then, in picturing himself as running the launch alongside the _Sappho_, and hoping that he would not bump her, a question presented itself. "If I were going to visit the _Sappho_," he asked, "would I approach the gangway from the stern or from the bow?" "I don't know," said Gryce. "Do you mean," said Brett, "that you don't know which is the correct thing to do, or that you think I can't steer?" "I mean," said Gryce, "that I know it's one or the other, but I don't know which." "In that case," said Brett, "we will approach from the rear. That is always the better part of valor. But if the gangway has been taken up for the night I don't know what I shall do." "The gangway was down when the light was on her," said Gryce. "I seen it." And that it was still down Brett could presently see for himself. He doubted his ability to make a neat landing, but they seemed to be expecting him, for a sailor ran down to the gangway landing armed with a long boat-hook, and made the matter easy for him. When he had reached the _Sappho's_ deck an officer came forward in the darkness, and said: "This way, sir, if you please." "There's magic about," thought Brett, and he accompanied the officer aft. "Mr. Merriman," said the latter, "told us to expect you half an hour ago in a motor-boat. Did you have a breakdown?" "No," said Brett, and he added mentally, "but I'm liable to." They descended a companionway; the officer opened a sliding door of some rich wood, and Brett stepped into the highly lighted main saloon of the _Sappho_.