“He’s got a little trouble of his own to attend to which is keeping him busy.”

“Tell us about it.”

“I mustn’t tell tales out of school.”

“Tell us something⁠—even if you have to invent it for our special benefit.”

“Well, what would you say to the famous ‘man in the brown suit’ having made the voyage with us?”

“ What? ”

I felt the colour die out of my face and then surge back again. Fortunately Colonel Race was not looking at me.

“It’s a fact, I believe. Every port watched for him and he bamboozled Pedler into bringing him out as his secretary!”