“Dear Sir,--As per promise, I am losing no time in affording you such information as is in my power. I find that the look-out man who was on duty on the night, and at the time of Mr. Hilton Riddell’s disappearance, is also convinced that he heard a suspicious splash, but it is doubtful if either he or the carpenter would care to appear as witnesses in the event of a new trial, since they are afraid of being detained, without recompense sufficient, long enough to cause them to lose their ship. Perhaps, however, you may be able to make them an offer good enough to overcome hesitation in this direction. But I have, nevertheless, some very valuable information for you. Yesterday, having only been in port an hour or two, and having finished all business for the day, I was having a turn on the Apollo Bunda, when whom should I meet face to face but our late passenger. He recognised me at once as the former mate of the ‘Merry Maid,’ but would have passed by without apparent recognition if I had not buttonholed him, and made this course impossible. He acknowledged my salutation very stiffly, and would still have passed on had I not remarked, ‘Look here, old man, it’s lucky for you we have met; otherwise you would most certainly be in gaol to-morrow.’ “You should have seen his face. It went as white as a scared man’s face ever can, and for a moment he looked as if he was going into a fit. Then he pulled himself together, and tried to make light of his emotion. “‘What a queer way you have of talking, Mr. Gerard,’ he said, and I was viciously glad to see what a feeble show he made of the self-possession he tried to muster. ‘How on earth could I be entitled to lodgings in gaol?’ “‘Well, thereby hangs a tale,’ I said. ‘Suppose you come down with me to a quiet house I know of, where we can talk unobserved. You have some deadly enemies in Bombay at this minute, and the sooner you take yourself away from a public place like this the better.’ “Fifteen minutes later we were sitting, each armed with a whisky and soda, in the public room of a house which I, in common with other sea-faring officers, had often frequented during my numerous voyages to Bombay. Stavanger was desperately nervous, and was careful to sit with his back to the general company, while I, having a good view of all who came in, was able to assure him that, so far, none of his enemies were present. And then I exercised a stroke of diplomacy, for which I am sure you will commend me.