The cabin of the tug was fitted with a shelf table, and over it swung a
lamp of brass that gave a dim light to the little room. Mrs. Knapp
seated herself here, as the boat pitched and tossed and trembled at the
strokes of the waves and quivered to the throbbing of the screw, spread
out the paper I had given her, and studied the diagram and the jumble
of letters with anxious attention.
"It is the same," she said at last; "in part, at least."
"The same as what?" I asked.
"As the one I got word of to-night, you know," she replied.
"No--I didn't know."
"Of course not," said Mrs. Knapp. "But you might have guessed that I
got my summons after you left, this evening. I should have spoken to
you then if I had known. I was near coming to an explanation, as it
was."
"There are a good many things I haven't guessed," I confessed.
"But," she continued, returning to the map, "this gives a different
place. I was to go to the cross-road here,"--indicating the mark at the
last branch.
"I'm glad to hear that," said I, taking out the diagram I had found in
the citadel of the enemy. "This seems to point to a different place,
too, and I really hope that the gentleman who drew this map is a good
way off from the truth."
"Where did you get this?" exclaimed Mrs. Knapp.
I described the circumstances in as few words as I could command.
"They are ahead of us," she said in alarm.
"They have started first, I suppose," was my suggestion.
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