The Devil's Admiral

an in the bus, or perhaps he chose to pass without encountering me again. He stared about the place, leaning

his cloth deck-shoes, and passed into the room. I heard a man give a cry of astonishment, followed b

, for none was intended, and I did not mean to disturb any person-I was simply aski

as if it were a rapier, came to the door of the room and said something in French, indignan

ed me, and I sauntered for half an hour or more. I wanted a new field-glass, and as I stood on the pavement at a corner a

ked in at the bank door. Meeker evidently caught me looking at him, for he whispered to the beggar, who hastened away, taking a furtive glance at me over his

nary crossed my path. That was the fourth time I had seen him in an hour, and I dreaded to go to the hot

ven if they were, I would have not concerned myself much about it. As it was, I ascribed Meeker's embarrassment when I last saw him to w

rk passed over the familiar yellow envelope, and my message read: "Proceed to Hong-Kong for orders." I replied that I would leave at o

amers. I had supposed a steamer sailed every day or two, and my temper was ruff

l cargo. There was a bare chance that I might get passage in her, for the paper referred to her as a former passenger boat, and I was sure I could ca

ffice over the hotel's desk-telephone. "Simply must get to Hong-Kong as soon as poss

owledge of Spanish. He first mistook me for a stevedore, then for the manager, and next for the Hong-Kong-Shanghai Bank

tions. "Newspaper correspondent working on the

he said, without ex

th somebody in his office, said that I couldn't, which was exasperating. I decided to go to the steamshi

" came a purring voice at my shoulder. I look

that I wondered if I was ever to lose s

ossible to go in the steamer Kut Sang. You will pardon me, I am sure, but I heard what you said at the telephone, and I am willin

urt with him, but feeling a trifle

he Rev. Luther Meeker of the London Evangelical Society,"

y sorry, Mr. Meeker, that you have been refused pass

visit the office," he said, with

why

he cloth, with credentials from the Bis

door and saw me enter a quilez, and there was a gleam of anger in his crafty old eyes. The sunlight made him blink, for he was not wearing gogg

ready to argue with him until the vessel sailed. A refusal was out of the question-he didn't have time to refuse. I spread all

hispered conversation with a gray-bearded old gentleman, who looked m

cense for the Kut Sang, although we have withdrawn her from the passenger-trade except in cases of emergency or delay of the regu

cargo-boat, and if you are willing to take pot-luck with Captain Riggs, that is your affair. How

on the counter before he could change his mind. I told

lonesome on the

quite rid of my asperity over their la

lerk, as he put down figures on a pad. He glanced

lp," I commented, for

u reach Hong-Kong, I'll give you the ticket

er Meeker!" I

he repeated, and gave me

ituation was more than a mere coincidence. The missionary had lied to me when he said he had been refused passage, he had misled me when he said it was impossible to bu

me with wrath. I so lost my temper for a minute that I was bent on going back to the hotel and knocking him down, missionary or no missionary; but, i

street, obviously watching me. It was plain enough that Meeker had sent him to spy upon me and learn if I went to the ste

temper, and, as I rode back to the hotel, put the both of them out of my mind; but pro

he steamer. My telephone rang, and I hastened to answer it, expecting orders from the cable-office, and hoping

wish to inform you that the Kut Sang has been delayed until to-morro

amer. However, it would be wise to have the exact sailing-time of the Kut Sang, so I rang up the steam

so taken aback for a second that I didn't know what to think or say. I remarked into the telephone that

unded reasonable enough; knew nothing whatever about a delay, and were quite perturbed to hear I had been told there was; had no idea how it happened, but there w

g up the receiver. "I think there are a few words I can say to him

t fell over the little red-headed beggar lurking near my