My bare feet made no noise as I crept toward the saloon.  This was the first time I had set foot within the sacred precincts of the quarterdeck.  From the gossip of those who had been aft to sick-call, or to break out stores, I had some notion of the lay of the land, but not a very clear one.

There were three doors opening upon the alley-way; the one on the port side was the inner door of the sail-locker, the two on the starboard side let into the mates’ rooms.  That much I knew.  I also knew that I need not fear these doors, since both mates were on deck.

But at the end of the alleyway was the saloon, the great common room of the cabin.  I paused uncertainly upon the threshold; I didn’t know which way to turn for concealment, and I had to get out of the alleyway quickly, for any moment a tradesman might come in behind me.

There were several doors on each side of the saloon.  To starboard, I knew, lay the captain’s quarters, and, from the sounds, the pantry.  To port, I knew, lay the lady’s quarters, and the steward’s room.  But which door was which, I did not know.  I decided I had best duck into the captain’s room.

But before I could act upon this decision the forward door on the port side slowly opened, and Wong, the steward, stepped out.  I shrank back into the alleyway as the door opened, and the Chinaman did not glance in my direction.  His whole attention was riveted upon the companion stairs; Swope’s voice sounded up there in the entrance to the hatch.

Wong softly closed the door behind him, and ran on tiptoe across the saloon, disappearing into the pantry.  I did not hesitate an instant.  Wong had not locked the door behind him, and his room would be handy enough for my purpose.  From it I could command the interior of the big room, and step forth when the moment arrived.  I crossed the corner of the saloon in a bound, and turned the doorknob as silently as had Wong.

I opened the door and stepped in backwards.  My eyes assured me I was unseen.  I closed the door, all save a crack, through which I meant to watch for the coming of my victim.

I heard a gasp behind me.  I shut the door tight and wheeled about—­and found myself staring into the wide-open eyes of the lady.

CHAPTER XX

She was on her knees, at the other end of the room.  Aye, and it was a room, a spacious cabin, not a cubbyhole berth I had blundered into; the lady’s own quarters, no less.  There was a lamp burning in gimbals, and its light disclosed to my first startled glance that it was a woman’s room.  Aye, to my foc’sle-bred senses the quarters were palatial.

The lady crouched on her knees, with her skirts spread wide, and her hands hidden behind her back.  When first her eyes met mine, I saw she was fear-stricken.  But immediately she recognized me the fear gave way to relief.