"Worse!" echoed Lady Olivia's voice, in accents of intense indignation. "There is nothing the matter with him--the wretch--except that he has stolen the _Flying Fish_, and is making off with her--and us." "_What_!" ejaculated Sir Reginald, in a tone of such profound consternation that those in the other boat heard him, and von Schalckenberg, sheering in close alongside, demanded to know what was wrong. Sir Reginald, still listening at his telephone, held up his hand for silence. Lady Olivia was still speaking. "Yes, it is quite true," she continued. "You had scarcely been gone an hour, this morning, when he suddenly presented himself in the music-room, where Feodorovna and I were sitting, and called Mlle. Sziszkinski out of the room. Suspecting nothing, the poor girl at once went, and a few minutes later he returned, alone, and, presenting a revolver at my head, ordered me to follow him, warning me at the same time that if I raised the slightest outcry of any kind, he would shoot me dead." "The scoundrel! The consummate blackguard!" ejaculated Sir Reginald through his set teeth. "Yes, dear; go on. I am listening," he added. "Of course I went; for there was nothing else to do," continued Lady Olivia. "And he looked so fierce, so determined, in such deadly earnest, that I felt sure he would carry out his threat if I disobeyed him. He led me up to the pilot-house; and there I found poor little Ida--whom I had believed to be out on deck, playing or reading--bound hand and foot, with a gag in her mouth." Sir Reginald drew in his breath sharply, but said nothing. "The moment that I entered the pilot-house he closed the door, and placing his back against it, pointed to Ida, saying, `You see, ma'am, there is your child; and if you will look closely at her you will see that I have lashed her up so tightly that, if she could speak, she would tell you that she is mighty uncomfortable!' And indeed, I could see that the brute was only speaking the truth--much less than the truth, in fact, for it was clear that the poor darling was suffering torment. Oh, Reggie, I tried to get to her to release her, but that brute raised his pistol and pointed it at her, saying, `If you offer to touch her, I'll blow her brains out! If you want to gain her release, tell me what you know about the working of this ship, and as soon as we are outside the reef you may release the child.'