“Captain,” he asked, “what shall you say if I tell you that I have proof that Craig is on board?”
The Captain glanced at Laura and restrained himself.
“I should probably say a great many things which I should regret afterwards,” he replied grimly.
“Sit down and we’ll tell you what has happened in my room,” Quest continued.
He told the story, calmly and without remark. The Captain held his head.
“Of course, I’m convinced that I am a sane man,” he said, “but this sounds more like a Munchausen story than anything I’ve ever heard. I suppose you people are all real? You are in earnest about this, aren’t you? It isn’t a gigantic joke?”
“We are in deadly earnest,” the Professor pronounced gravely.
“I have been down to the pantry,” Quest went on. “The porthole has been open all day. It was just possible for a man to have reached the cups of bouillon as they were prepared. That isn’t the point, however. Craig is cunning and clever enough for any devilish scheme on earth, and that card proves that he is on board.”
“The ship shall be searched,” the Captain declared, “once more. We’ll look into every crack and every cupboard.”
Lenora turned away with a little shiver. It was one of her rare moments of weakness.
“You won’t find him! You won’t ever find him!” she murmured. “And I am afraid!”
Lenora grasped the rails of the steamer and glanced downwards at the great barge full of Arab sailors and merchandise. In the near background were the docks of Port Said. It was their first glimpse of Eastern atmosphere and colour.
“I can’t tell you how happy I am,” she declared to Quest, “to think that this voyage is over. Every night I have gone to bed terrified.”
He smiled grimly.
“Things have been quiet enough the last few days,” he said. “There’s Harris on this barge. Look at Laura waving to him!”
The Scotland Yard man only glanced up at them. He was occupied in leaning over towards Laura, who was on the deck below.
“If you said the word,” he called out, “I wouldn’t be going back, Miss Laura. I’d stick to the ship fast enough.”
She laughed at him gaily.
“Not you! You’re longing for your smoky old London already. You cut it out, my friend. You’re a good sort, and I hope we’ll meet again some day. But—”
She shook her head at him good-humouredly. He turned away, disappointed, and waved his hand to Lenora and Quest on the upper deck.
“Coming on shore, any of you?” he enquired.
“We may when the boat moves up,” Quest replied. “The Professor went off on the first barge. Here he is, coming back.”
A little boat had shot out from the docks, manned by a couple of Arabs. They could see the Professor seated in the stern. He was poring over a small document which he held in his hand. He waved to them excitedly.
“He’s got news!” Quest muttered.
With much shouting the boat was brought to the side of the barge. The Professor was hauled up. He stumbled blindly across towards the gangway and came up the steps with amazing speed. He came straight to Quest and Lenora and gripped the former by the arm.
“Look!” he cried. “Look!”
He held out a card. Quest read it aloud:—
“There is not one amongst you with the wit of a Mongar child. Good-bye!”
“The Hands!”
“Where did you get it?” Quest demanded.
“That’s the point—the whole point!” the Professor exclaimed excitedly. “He’s done us! He’s landed! That paper was pushed into my hand by a tall Arab, who mumbled something and hurried off across the docks. On the landing-stage, mind!”
The Captain came and put his head out of the door.
“Mr. Quest,” he said, “can you spare me a moment? You can all come, if you like.”
They moved up towards him. The Captain closed the door of his cabin. He pointed to a carpet-sweeper which lay against the wall.
“Look at that,” he invited.
They lifted the top. Inside were several sandwiches and a small can of tea.
“What on earth is this?” Quest demanded.
The Captain, without a word, led them into his inner room. A huge lounge stood in one corner. He lifted the valance. Underneath were some crumbs.
“You see,” he pointed out, “there’s room there for a man to have hidden, especially if he could crawl out on deck at night. I couldn’t make out why the dickens Brown was always sweeping out my room, and I took up this thing a little time ago and looked at it. This is what I found.”
“Where’s Brown?” Quest asked quickly.
“I rang down for the chief steward,” the Captain continued, “and ordered Brown to be sent up at once. The chief steward came himself instead. It seems Brown went off without his wages but with a huge parcel of bedding, on the first barge this morning, before any one was about.”
Quest groaned as he turned away.
“Captain,” he declared, “I am ashamed. He has been here all the time and we’ve let him slip through our fingers. Girls,” he went on briskly, turning towards Laura, who had just come up, “India’s off. We’ll catch this barge, if there’s time. Our luggage can be put on shore when the boat docks.”
The Captain walked gloomily with them to the gangway.
“I shall miss you all,” he told Laura.
She laughed in his face.
“If you ask me, I think you’ll be glad to be rid of us.”
“Not of you, Miss Laura,” he insisted.
She made a little grimace.
“You’re as bad as Mr. Harris,” she declared. “We’ll come for another trip with you some day.”
They left him leaning disconsolately over the rails. The Professor and Quest sat side by side on one of the trunks which was piled up on the barge.
“Professor,” Quest asked, “how long would it take us to get to this Mongar village you spoke about?”
“Two or three days, if we can get camels,” the other replied. “I see you agree with me, then, as to Craig’s probable destination?”
Quest nodded.
“What sort of fellows are they, any way?” he asked. “Will it be safe for us to push on alone?”
“With me,” the Professor assured him, “you will be safe anywhere. I speak a little of their language. I have lived with them. They are far more civilized than some of the interior tribes.”
“We’ll find a comfortable hotel where we can leave the girls—” Quest began.
“You can cut that out,” Laura interrupted. “I don’t know about the kid here, but if you think I’m going to miss a camel ride across the desert, you’re dead wrong, so that’s all there is to it.”
Quest glanced towards Lenora. She leaned over and took his arm.
“I simply couldn’t be left behind,” she pleaded. “I’ve had quite enough of that.”
“The journey will not