Immediately the visitor seemed to breathe more freely.
"Ah—er—thank you!" he said. "I—I've seen omens enough. Everything seems to point to—to a—tragedy. I regret exceedingly that I ever sailed—on this steamer. I—I shall be thankful when I put my feet on dry land—if I ever do again."
"You must be rather superstitious," suggested Frank.
"Not at all—that is, not to any extent," Mr. Slush hastened to aver. "There are a few signs—and omens—which I know—will come true."
"Indeed!"
"Yes, sir!" asserted the little man, with surprising positiveness. "I know something will happen—to this boat. I—I am positive of it."
"Why are you so positive?"
"Everything foretells it. At the very start it was—foretold. I was foolish then that I did not demand—demand, sir—to be set ashore, even after the steamer had left—her pier."
"How was that?"
"There was a cat, sir—a poor, stray cat—that came aboard this steamer. They did not let her stay—understand me? They—they drove her off!"