"What can I do--a prisoner here on board?" he argued bitterly. "How can
I act?"

"Leave it all to me. I'm free to travel after them, and find out the
truth if only you will tell me what you know concerning them," I said
eagerly.

"Gordon, let me be frank and open with you, my dear old fellow. I would
tell you everything--everything--if I dared. But I cannot--you
understand!" And his final words seemed to choke him.

I stood before him, open-mouthed in astonishment.

"You really mean--well, that you are in fear of them--eh?" I whispered.

He nodded slowly in the affirmative, adding: "To tell you the truth
would be to bring upon myself a swift, relentless vengeance that would
overwhelm and crush me. Ah! my dear fellow, you do not know--you cannot
dream--what brought those desperate men into this port. I can guess--I
can guess only too well--but I can only tell you that if you ever do
discover the terrible truth--which I fear is unlikely--you will solve
one of the strangest and most remarkable mysteries of modern times."

"What does the mystery concern?" I asked, in breathless eagerness.

"It concerns a woman."