Saluting Lieutenant Totten, Runkle turned and hastily presented himself before the door of the Captain's quarters.
"You have something to report, Runkle?" questioned Captain Allen, seating himself at his desk.
"Yes, sir. Ensign Darrin gave me a letter to bring to you, sir. It may interest you, sir, to know that on my way back to the ship I was attacked near the mole by a mob of cut-throats. One of them held me up with a revolver, but I got it away from him. Then they all attacked me, and soon had me down, sir. One of the rascals took all my money and a letter addressed to you."
"Took Ensign Darrin's letter away from you?" demanded Captain Allen, looking, as he felt, a good deal disturbed.
"No, sir; not Ensign Darrin's letter, sir," replied Able Seaman Runkle, with just a shadow of a grin. "It was a letter addressed to you, but I have reason to believe, sir, that Ensign Darrin's letter is still safe. If you'll permit me, sir, I'll look for the ensign's letter where I placed it, after leaving the ensign and before quitting the hotel."
Captain Allen at once nodded his permission. Runkle partly undressed, then explored the place where he had concealed Dave's letter.
"What was the other letter addressed to me that was taken away from you, Runkle?" questioned the captain, while the search was going on.
"It wasn't really a letter, sir," the sailorman replied, this time with a very broad grin. "It was just an envelope addressed to you, and filled with blank paper."
"Who addressed that envelope?"
"I did, sir."