“I think we had better suspend this discussion,” suggested Cleopatra.  “It is of no immediate interest to any one but Ophelia, and I fancy she does not care to dwell upon it at any great length.  It is more important that we should decide upon our future course of action.  In the first place, the question is who these people up on deck are.  If they are the members of the club, we are all right.  They will give us our scare, and land us safely again at the pier.  In that event it is our womanly duty to manifest no concern, and to seem to be aware of nothing unusual in the proceeding.  It would never do to let them think that their joke has been a good one.  If, on the other hand, as I fear, we are the victims of some horde of ruffians, who have pounced upon us unawares, and are going into the business of abduction on a wholesale basis, we must meet treachery with treachery, strategy with strategy.  I, for one, am perfectly willing to make every man on board walk the plank, having confidence in the seawomanship of Mrs. Noah and her ability to steer us into port.”

“I am quite in accord with these views,” put in Madame Recamier, “and I move you, Mrs. President, that we organize a series of subcommittees—­one on treachery, with Lucretia Borgia and Delilah as members; one on strategy, consisting of Portia and Queen Elizabeth; one on navigation, headed by Mrs. Noah; with a final subcommittee on reconnoitre, with Cassandra to look forward, and Mrs. Lot to look aft—­all of these subordinated to a central committee of safety headed by Cleopatra and Calpurnia.  The rest of us can then commit ourselves and our interests unreservedly to these ladies, and proceed to enjoy ourselves without thought of the morrow.”

“I second the motion,” said Ophelia, “with the amendment that Madame Recamier be appointed chair-lady of another subcommittee, on entertainment.”

The amendment was accepted, and the motion put.  It was carried with an enthusiastic aye, and the organization was complete.

The various committees retired to the several corners of the room to discuss their individual lines of action, when a shadow was observed to obscure the moonlight which had been streaming in through the window.  The faces of Calpurnia and Cleopatra blanched for an instant, as, immediately following upon this apparition, a large bundle was hurled through the open port into the middle of the room, and the shadow vanished.

“Is it a bomb?” cried several of the ladies at once.

“Nonsense!” said Madame Recamier, jumping lightly forward.  “A man doesn’t mind blowing a woman up, but he’ll never blow himself up.  We’re safe enough in that respect.  The thing looks to me like a bundle of illustrated papers.”

“That’s what it is,” said Cleopatra, who had been investigating.  “It’s rather a discourteous bit of courtesy, tossing them in through the window that way, I think, but I presume they mean well.  Dear me,” she added, as, having untied the bundle, she held one of the open papers up before her, “how interesting!  All the latest Paris fashions.  Humph!  Look at those sleeves, Elizabeth.  What an impregnable fortress you would have been with those sleeves added to your ruffs!”