Summary

The colonel and Hercule Poirot discuss possible suspects and motives over breakfast in the saloon. Mr. Fanthorp mentioned hearing a splash when the two questioned him. They question the bigamist that had a problem with Mrs. Doyle when she was Miss Ridgeway, but he says he had a grudge against her, not thoughts of murder. When they question Mrs. Allerton, she also mentions hearing a splash and running, or running and a splash. She can't remember in which order. Tim Allerton comes in after his mother and he says he heard the same thing of a splash and then running. He says he also heard a cork pop, which could have been the shot.

Analysis

It seems as if some of the ship passengers heard a cork pop--equating it to someone popping open a bottle of champagne. This in fact was probably the shot that killed...