"Just let your husband speak a bit now," interrupted Pratt, almost insolently. "It's you that's making all the trouble or noise, anyhow! There's naught to fuss about, missis. What's upset you, Murgatroyd?" "They're going to the Royal Atlantic people," muttered the watchmaker. "Of course, it'll all come out, then. They know that I never booked any Parsons--nor anybody else for that matter--last November. You should ha' thought o' that!" Pratt realized that the man was right. He had never thought of that--never anticipated that inquiry would go beyond Murgatroyd. But his keen wits at once set to work. "What's the system?" he asked quickly. "Tell me--what's done when you book anybody like that? Come on!--explain, quick!" Murgatroyd turned to a drawer and pulled out a book and some papers. "It's simple enough," he said. "I've this book of forms, d'ye see? I fill up this form--sort of ticket or pass for the passenger, and hand it to him--it's a receipt as well, to him. Then I enter the same particulars on that counterfoil. Then I fill up one of these papers, giving just the same particulars, and post it at once to the Company with the passage money, less my commission. When one of these books is finished, I return the counterfoils to Liverpool--they check 'em. Prydale's up to all that. He asked to see the counterfoil in this case. I had to say I hadn't got it--I'd sent it to the Company. Of course, he'll find out that I didn't." "Lies!" said Mrs. Murgatroyd, vindictively. "And they didn't start wi' us neither!" "Who was that other man with Prydale?" asked Pratt. "London detective, I should say," answered the watchmaker. "And judging by the way he watched me, a sharp 'un, too!" "What impression did you get--altogether?" demanded Pratt. "Why!--that they're going to sift this affair--whatever it is--right down to the bottom!" exclaimed Murgatroyd. "They're either going to find Parrawhite or get to know what became of him. That's my impression. And what am I going to do, now! This'll lose me what bit of business I've done with yon shipping firm."