Of course I struggled.  The Japanese have a little trick to fool a man who catches you around the waist from behind.  It is part of the jiu-jitsu taught the Samurai—­quite a different proposition from the ordinary “policeman jiu-jitsu.”  I picked it up from a friend in the nobility.  It came in very handy now, and by good luck a roll of the ship helped me.  In a moment I stood free, and Perdosa was picking himself out of the scuppers.

The expression of astonishment was fairly well done—­I will say that for him—­but I was prepared for histrionics.

“Senor!” he gasped.  “Eet is you! Sacrosanta Maria! I thought you was dat Solomon!  Pardon me, senor!  Pardon!  Have I hurt you?”

He approached me almost wheedling.  I could have laughed at the villain.  It was all so transparent.  He no more mistook me for Handy Solomon than he felt any real enmity for that person.  But being angry, and perhaps a little scared, I beat him to his quarters with a belaying pin.

On thinking the matter over, however, I failed to see all the ins and outs of it.  I could understand a desire to get rid of me; there would be one less of the afterguard, and then, too, I knew too much of the men’s sentiments, if not of their plans.  But why all this elaborate farce of the mock quarrel and the alleged mistake?  Could it be to guard against possible failure?  I could hardly think it worth while.  My only theory was that they had wished to test my strength and determination.  The whole affair, even on that supposition, was childish enough, but I referred the exaggerated cunning to Handy Solomon, and considered it quite adequately explained.  It is a minor point, but subsequently I learned that this surmise was correct.  I was to be saved because none of the conspirators understood navigation.

The next morning I approached Captain Selover.

“Captain,” said I, “I think it my duty to report that there is trouble brewing among the crew.”

“There always is,” he replied, unmoved.

“But this is serious.  Dr. Schermerhorn came aboard with a chest which the men think holds treasure.  The other evening Robinson overheard him tell his assistant that he could easily fill the box with diamonds.  Of course, he was merely illustrating the value of some scientific experiment, but Robinson thinks, and has made the others think, that the chest contains something to make diamonds with.  I am sure they intend to get hold of it.  The affair is coming to a head.”

Captain Selover listened almost indifferently.

“I came back from the islands last year,” he piped, “with three hundred thousand dollars’ worth of pearls.  There was sixteen in the crew, and every man of them was blood hungry for them pearls.  They had three or four shindies and killed one man over the proper way to divide the loot after they had got it.  They didn’t get it.  Why?” He drew his powerful figure to its height and spread