She broke away and rushed out upon the deck into the starlight, with Peter in pursuit. Here was a nice result of his philandering, he thought bitterly. And yet, what had he done? How could he help the consequences of follies committed in time he had not even spent yet? However, what he had to do now was to prevent Miss Davenport from leaping overboard at any cost. He would even promise to jump over with her, if that would soothe her, and of course he could appoint some time next day--say, after breakfast,--for the performance. He ran down the shadowy deck until he overtook a flying female form, whose hand he seized as she crouched against the bulwarks. "Miss Davenport, if you will only just ..." he began, when, without warning, he found himself back upon his own hearth-rug, holding Sophia firmly by the wrist! He felt confused, as well he might, but he tried to pass it off. "Did you find Dibbs _On Currency_, my dear?" he inquired, with a ghastly smile, as he dropped her hand. "I did not," said Sophia, gravely; "I was otherwise engaged. Peter, what have you been doing?" "What have I been doing?" he said. "Why, it's not a minute since you went into the study to get that book; look at the clock and see!" "Don't appeal to the clock, Peter,--answer my question. How have you been occupied?" "I've been waiting for you to finish that article on Bi-metallism," he had the hardihood to say. "Deuced well-written article it is, too; so clear!" "I don't refer to what you were doing here," said Sophia. "What were you doing on board the _Boomerang_?" "It--it's so long ago that I really forget," he said. "I--I read Buckle on deck, and I talked with a man named Perkins--nice fellow he was--manager of a bank out in Australia." "It's useless to prevaricate, Peter!" she said. "What I want to know is, who was that girl, and why should she attempt to destroy herself?" He could hardly believe his ears. "Girl!" he stammered. "How do you know that any girl attempted anything of that sort?" "How do I know, Peter?" said Sophia. "I will tell you how I know. _I was on board the 'Boomerang,' too!_" At this awful piece of intelligence, Peter dropped into his arm-chair, speechless and quaking. What would come next he could not tell; but anything seemed possible, and even probable, after that! CHAPTER VII. The Culminating Cheque. _Sophia Gives an Explanation, and Requests One.--Her Verdict.--Peter Overruled._ "Before I say anything else," said Sophia, who was still standing upon the hearth-rug, gazing down upon the wretched Peter as he sat huddled up in his chair, "you would probably like to know how I came to follow you to that steamer. It is a long story, but I will tell you if you wish to hear?" Peter's lips moved without producing any articulate sounds, and Sophia proceeded: