"As you say, sir," replied the sailor calmly, "and murdered Dr. Warrender. No, I can't rightly call any one to mind." "Did you know the Quiet Gentleman, Joe?" "I did not, miss. Brown he called hisself--leastways, Mrs. Marry told me so, for Brown had no tongue. I tried to pass the time o' day, meeting him friendly like on the road, but he only put his hand to his mouth and shook his white head. I don't know nothing about him." "Do you know a tramp named Cicero Gramp?" asked Alan, after a pause. "Well, I did in a way." Joe drew his huge hand across his mouth, and seemed to be considering his reply. "In this way, sir. He comed here to the kitchen and put 'em all wrong with his lies. I kicked him out--leastways, I giv 'im something to take 'imself orf." "What did he come here for?" Joe clenched his teeth and frowned dreadfully. "I wish I knowed, I'd ha' broken his cocoanut!" said he. "He was a liar, miss, savin' your presence. Said 'e knowed your father, the Cap'n, which," said Joe slowly, "was a d----d lie--beggin' your pardon, miss." "Said he knew my father?" echoed Sophy anxiously. "What did he know about him?" "Nothin'," replied Joe firmly. "Make your mind easy, miss--nothin'." It seemed to Alan as though the old sailor wished to intimate that there really was something in Marlow's past which might be known, but that the tramp was ignorant of it. He evidently wanted to reassure the girl, yet Alan was well aware that Sophy knew practically nothing of her father's life. He resolved to try the effect of a surprise. "Joe," said he slowly, "it was this tramp who told me the body had been stolen." Joe's hard, shiny hat, which he had been twisting nervously in his hands, fell to the ground. His face was a dark crimson when he stooped to pick it up, and he stammered: "Hi, sir! that--that lubber. How did he know?" "That I have to find out. He offers to sell the information for a hundred pounds." Joe rubbed his hands and looked ferocious. "What I want to know, sir, is, where is the swab?" "In London. I'm going up to see him to-morrow." "This afternoon," put in Sophy sharply. "You are going this afternoon, Alan." "Certainly, my dear," Alan said promptly; "I'll go this afternoon--if the police don't want me." "The police!" gasped Joe, shifting nervously from one leg to the other. "Yes." Alan darted a keen glance at him. "Mr. Phelps has sent for the police to investigate this murder of Dr. Warrender." "Well, I hope they'll find him, sir," said Joe, recovering his stolidity, "for I make no doubt that the swab as killed the doctor carried off the Cap'n's body." "So I think, Joe, and I am going to London to find out from Cicero Gramp." "You'll find he'll tell you that the Quiet Gentleman killed Dr. Warrender," put in Sophy. The old sailor choked, and looked at her with absolute terror. "How do you know that, miss?" he asked.