I looked at him defiantly, and his eyes seemed to dare me to speak out and say the things which were in my mind.  He seemed to understand that I was trying to frame a denunciation, for I was white to the lips with rage at him.

“You seemed determined to sail in the Kut Sang, Mr. Trenholm,” he said:  “So your insistence to be a passenger was to slay a fellow-man, was it?  I am shocked beyond measure!”

“You hound!” I screamed.  “You have played your cards well, you and your little red-headed scoundrel!  If you think I am a spy you will find—­”

“Tut, tut, Sally Ann!” said Captain Riggs.  “We can’t have any of that.  Hold your tongue, sir, or I’ll have you in irons.”

“If you’ll give me ten minutes privately, captain, I’ll tell you who this devil—­”

“I’m a man of the cloth, and I will not countenance such language!” shrieked Meeker in an attempt to check me; but I could see that I had cut him deeply, for he whitened and stepped toward me with closed fist.  “Don’t you call me devil!  You know nothing of me—­tell it if you will—­what do you know?  Where did you get that name?”

“Gentlemen!  Gentlemen!” said Riggs, still holding one of my pistols in his hand, and keeping an eye on the bulkhead door for the return of the mate.

“He’s a Japanese spy,” I said.  “He’s no missionary at all, but a spy, and the fool believes that I am in the Russian service.  He tried to hold me in Manila, and when I would not listen to his lies he has taken this way to discredit me, probably have me hanged!  It’s all a plot—­”

“That will do,” commanded Riggs.  “You have not been tried yet, Mr. Trenholm.  You can tell all that to the judge.  If you go on this way I will be compelled to make a prisoner of you.  I am not taking that red chap’s word for what he says about you, but if you go on like this I will have to put you in confinement.  Otherwise, you will simply be restricted to your cabin until we reach Hong-Kong.  I will have to make sure that you have no more arms, and if you will promise to remain in your room, that will do until this matter is turned over to the courts, and then you may state your case.”

“Are you not going to put this man where he can do no more harm?” asked Meeker.  “You can see for yourself that my life will be in danger unless this man is made a prisoner.  I protest against his being allowed his liberty—­I have no desire to be found in my bed as poor Mr. Trego was found here a few minutes ago.”

“You will be protected,” said the captain.  “Mr. Harris, is that you?  Take Mr. Trenholm here to his room, and remove all his luggage and see that he has no more arms, even so much as a pocket-knife.  Then lock him in his room.”

“I protest against such treatment, Captain Riggs.  If you will give me ten minutes so that I may tell my story I will willingly obey any order you may give, even to becoming a prisoner in my room; but I think that it will be better for you to know the facts about this case, and what I have learned about this Mr. Meeker in Manila.”