"How the deuce did you come here?" asked Herries, recovering from his astonishment. "I kidnapped him," said Kyles casting down his gold-laced cap, and throwing off his oilskin. "Sit down, Miss Tedder." "Miss Tedder," echoed Maud in tones of reproach. Kyles flushed all over his bronzed face, and gave her an angry look, striving meanwhile to remain calm. "We can speak, after we have transacted this business," he said. "Call me Maud, then." "Maud," said the Captain in ironical tones. "And what is Maud doing here?" asked another voice--a woman's, cold and cutting as an east wind. Maud recognised her rival with a snarl like that of an angry cat, and looked defiantly at her. Señora Guzman, in a richly trimmed dinner dress, which well became her beauty, was standing at the door of her berth, and her face grew pale with wrath, as she gazed at the insolent baby face of Miss Tedder. "You have no right here," said the Mexican lady, "this is my ship." "Captain Kyles' ship," taunted Maud. "He is the skipper, and my servant. How dare you thrust yourself here uninvited?" "I brought her, Señora," said Herries, firmly, "and it will be as well to postpone any conversation you may wish to have, until we have despatched the business we have come about." The two women glared at one another, and all the men,--even the philosophic Gowrie,--felt uneasy at their attitude. "Dods," he growled, "an' they ca' yon the weaker sex. It's weel that the late Mistress Gowrie is unnergrund, for never again wull I trust my ain precious sel' tae sic jades as they." "After the business is ended we can speak," said Señora Guzman, and sat down disdainfully. "I'll be only too glad," snapped Maud likewise sinking down. "You're not going to have it all your own way, madam," and after a mutual scowl, both fixed their jealous eyes on Kyles, who, for a brave man, looked decidedly nervous. He was about to relieve the situation by addressing himself to the business in hand, when the silence was broken by an exclamation from Herries. The young man had mechanically picked up a telegram which was lying on the table, and without thinking had read the same. Its contents astonished him not a little. "I beg your pardon, Kyles," he stammered, still holding the telegram with an expression of amazement on his face. "I read this inadvertently. It is from Kind, to you." "Quite so," answered the Captain smoothly, "and you will see that Pope Narby presented one of the notes stolen from Sir Simon at a shop, and was given in charge. Also that he escaped, and that Kind believed he fled at once with his mother to the 'Marsh Inn.' It takes a lengthy wire to explain all that, Herries, but I told Kind not to spare expense." "Was this why Kind went up to town?" "Yes. He met me yesterday ashore, and I gave him my instructions."