They were groping their way toward the main saloon, where they had left Mr. and Mrs. Claiborne, when Shirley was aware of some one lurking near. A figure seemed to be crouching close by, and she felt its furtive movements and knew that it had passed but remained a few feet away. Her hand on Armitage’s arm tightened.
“What is that?—there is some one following us,” she said.
At the same moment Armitage, too, became aware of the presence of a stooping figure behind him. He stopped abruptly and faced about.
“Stand quite still, Miss Claiborne.”
He peered about, and instantly, as though waiting for his voice, a tall figure rose not a yard from him and a long arm shot high above his head and descended swiftly. They were close to the rail, and a roll of the ship sent Armitage off his feet and away from his assailant. Shirley at the same moment threw out her hands, defensively or for support, and clutched the arm and shoulder of the man who had assailed Armitage. He had driven a knife at John Armitage, and was poising himself for another attempt when Shirley seized his arm. As he drew back a fold of his cloak still lay in Shirley’s grasp, and she gave a sharp little cry as the figure, with a quick jerk, released the cloak and slipped away into the shadows. A moment later the lights were restored, and she saw Armitage regarding ruefully a long slit in the left arm of his ulster.
“Are you hurt? What has happened?” she demanded.
“It must have been a sea-serpent,” he replied, laughing.
The deck officer regarded them curiously as they blinked in the glare of light, and asked whether anything was wrong. Armitage turned the matter off.
“I guess it was a sea-serpent,” he said. “It bit a hole in my ulster, for which I am not grateful.” Then in a lower tone to Shirley: “That was certainly a strange proceeding. I am sorry you were startled; and I am under greatest obligations to you, Miss Claiborne. Why, you actually pulled the fellow away!”
“Oh, no,” she returned lightly, but still breathing hard; “it was the instinct of self-preservation. I was unsteady on my feet for a moment, and sought something to take hold of. That pirate was the nearest thing, and I caught hold of his cloak; I’m sure it was a cloak, and that makes me sure he was a human villain of some sort. He didn’t feel in the least like a sea-serpent. But some one tried to injure you—it is no jesting matter—”