1 
N a day of brilliant sunshine 
Dr. Howe was seated on his 
veranda overlooking the still 
waters of the harbour below. 
A private steam yacht had 
just come to anchor, and he 
watched it idly through his 
glasses. It was close enough for him to see 
a little cluster of men clad in white flannels 
lounging on chairs on the shining deck, 
and the smoke of their cigars made a faint 
blue cloud against the spotless white paint 
of the funnels behind them. They were 
seated in a circle, and a table with tea-things 
stood in their centre. 
The yacht was a fine vessel, painted in 
white and gold, and a small crowd of 
people on the quay-side were watching it with 
curiosity, because a private steam yacht rarely 
put in at that port. Dr. Howe sucked his 
pipe meditatively as his eye travelled over 
the luxurious fittings of this ship. Then, 
laying down his glasses, he settled himself 
with a sigh in his chair and went to sleep. 
He was awakened at length by a step on 
the path, and, looking up, saw a man in ship’s 
uniform, with a smart gold-braided white 
cap, coming towards him. 
“ Dr. Howe, sir ? ” 
“ I am Dr. Howe/* 
The man saluted. 
“ I am the steward of the Vespertillo, 
sir. My master, Mr. Hartway, wishes me 
to ask you if you are likely to be free to-night 
between nine and ten.” 
Dr. Howe sat up in his chair. 
“ Between nine and ten ? Yes, I think so. 
Does he want me to come on board ? ” 
“ I don’t know, sir. But he wishes you to 
be in readiness between nine and ten. That 
is all he said, sir. And I was to hand you 
this.” 
The steward held out an envelope. Dr. 
Howe took it. Inside was a cheque for five 
guineas and a note asking him to accept the 
money as a retaining fee for his services 
between the hours of nine and ten that night, 
as Mr. Hartway was not sure whether he 
would require him or not. The letter w r as 
from Mr. Hartway’s secretary. 
Dr. Howe pocketed the cheque, and in- 
formed the steward that he would make a 
point of staying at home between the hours 
mentioned. After the steward had gone, 
Dr. Howe looked at the cheque again, and 
then turned his glasses once more on the 
steamship Vespertillo , that lay gleaming in 
the harbour, with a flood of white and gold 
flashes in the waters under her smart bows. 
The group of men round the tea-table 
were still visible, but one of them was stand- 
ing. He was holding something in one hand 
and pointing to it with the other. It was 
a white object, and now and then the sunlight 
flashed on it. The men around were leaning 
forward in attitudes of close attention. 
Dr. Howe focused his glasses carefully, 
trying to make out the object. But he 
could not see what it was. The individual 
who was holding it at length made an inter- 
rogative gesture to one of the sitters, who 
shook his head. Then he shrugged his 
shoulders, clasped the white thing in both 
hands, and went below with it. Howe could 
see his companions talking, and from their 
movements a violent argument seemed to 
be in progress. 
A call from the house interrupted his 
