This was done. Five minutes later, the first and second officers of the _Aphrodite_ assisted their employer up the yacht's gangway. Leaving Tagg to explain to Stump what had happened, Royson took von Kerber to his cabin, and helped to remove his outer clothing. A superficial wound on the neck, and a somewhat deeper cut on the right forearm, were the only injuries; the contents of a medicine chest, applied under von Kerber's directions, soon staunched the flow of blood. "I do not wish anything to be said about this affair," began the Baron, when Royson would have left him. "Tagg must have given the captain full details already," said Dick. "But did he hear that name, Alfieri?" "I think not." "And he would not understand, about the--er--document?" "The papyrus," suggested Royson. "Yes." "No. I don't suppose he would understand the word In English, whereas you spoke French." "Ah, yes, of course. Well, that is between you and me. Will you ask Captain Stump and Mr. Tagg to join us in a bottle of wine? I would put matters in my own way, yes?" The Baron, after a slight hesitancy, made his wishes clear. Mr. Fenshawe and his party would arrive at Marseilles by the _train de luxe_ next morning, and preparations must be made for instant departure as soon as they came on board. They would be alarmed needlessly if told of the affray on the quay, so it was advisable that nothing should be said about it. "You see," purred the Baron affably, refilling the glasses which Stump and Tagg had emptied at a gulp, "ladies, especially young ones, are apt to be nervous." "Have we wimmen aboard this trip?" growled Stump in a deep rumble of disapproval. "Ladies, yes. Two, and a maid." Stump bore round on his chief. "Wot did I tell ye, Tagg?" he demanded fiercely, "Didn't I say that them fixins aft meant no good?" "You did," agreed Tagg, with equal asperity. Von Kerber caught the laughter in Dick's eyes, and checked the angry protest ready to bubble forth. "The two _ladies_," he said, speaking with an emphasis which strove to cloak his annoyance at Stump's offhanded manner, "are Miss Fenshawe, granddaughter of the gentleman who owns this yacht, and her companion, Mrs. Haxton. Without their presence this trip would not have been undertaken, and that fact had better be recognized at the outset. But now, gentlemen, I have come on ahead to have a quiet talk with you. Captain Stump knows our destination, but none of you is aware of the object of our voyage. I propose to take you fully into my confidence in that respect. By this time, you have become more or less acquainted with the crew, and, if you think any of the men are unsuitable, we must get rid of them at once."