"Meet him accidentally?"
"He overtook me—called to me."
"How long did you talk to him?"
"For only a few minutes," said Prale. "You must understand that, while George Lerton is my cousin, we are not exceptionally friendly, and never have been. We worked for the same firm ten years ago, and after I went to Honduras, George made some money and got into business for himself; at least he told me so last night."
"So you merely shook hands and renewed your acquaintance?" the captain asked.
"There was something peculiar about the meeting," Prale replied.
"In what way?"
"Lerton urged me to leave New York and remain away. He said that I had powerful enemies."
"What about that?"
"It is what has been puzzling me. So far as I know, I haven't a powerful enemy on earth. I suppose I have a few business foes in Central America; a man can't make a million without acquiring some enemies at the same time. But I don't know of a single influential person who is my enemy."