THE SMUGGLERS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXV, Issue 16487, 28 February 1914, Page 15

THE SMUGGLERS.

(By A. A. HINTZ.) [All Eights Reserved.) The Union Company’s s.s. Aparima, passenger boat, cargo carrier and training ship for futuro officers of the fleet, was heaving anchor in Singapore Roads, preparatory to departure for Auckland. The agent’s launch, having left the live passengers aboard, was fussing its way back to Johnson’s pier, mid farewells from the little band standing by the steamer’s gangway. Captain Macdonald, gazing down from the bridge, contemplated the solitary young lady of the party, who, with flushed cheek and Sparkling eye, was vigorously fluttering a handkerchief. “ Trouble in store this trip, for certain,” soliloquised the mariner. “ Women are never a complete blessing aboard, and now here is a solitary female, young, pretty, vivacious, left in my charge without a chaperone. Within a week she’ll want to boss tho whole ship’s complement. I’m hanged if I like the idea.”

Tho captain was a shrewd observer of human nature in general and of his officers in particular. Ho smiled cynically as he gazed aft from the bridge an hour later, and saw the ship’s surgeon, Dr Street, approaching the girl. So whole-souled was Dorothy Rattray’s interest; in the wonderful panorama of water channel and palm and jungle-clad island at tho entrance to Rliio .Strait that she failed to notice Street’s approach till a voice beside her exclaimed, “Miss Rattray, I believe.”

A pair of dancing mischievous eyes turned upon him; a slight flush of embarrassment at the interruption of her day-dreams mounted a fair cheek; but tho young lady replied cheerfully,. “Yes; that happens to be my name. Are you the captain, and will you be a sort of god-father to mo on this voyage?” A laugh, boyish enough to convince her of her mistake, greeted the remark.

“ Don’t thrust such importance or 6uch pleasant uuties upon my shoulders. lam a mere figurehead, tho ship’s surgeon, and, seeing you all alone, took the unwarrantable liberty of attempting to cheer you up a little.” “Thank you,” replied the girl, “but I don’t know that I really need much cheering up. As for your liberty, it is considered custom, not liberty, to waive many of the conventions at sea.” “Yes, I have usually, but not always, found that so. Still, won’t you feel lonely at being the only representative of your sex aboard?” “Oh, no. Why should I? Do you know New Zealand at all well?” she queried. “ Well, I think so. I am an Aucklander, and this is my first trip far abroad.”

“ Ah, then,” replied the girl laughingly, “you will understand and appreciate that so-called independence of the colonial girl, which so shocks many of our visitors from Homo. I suppose I must possess an unusually large quantity of that characteristic, and, to tell the truth, I am rather proud of it.”

“ By Jove, yes,” commented the doctor, catching her infectious enthusiasm, “ and why shouldn’t you beP As I said, I have not travelled over much, but from what I have seen of the British woman in the East, she fails completely to come up to the standard of the colonial girl.” “ Spoken like a true patriot,” was the jesting reply. Miss Rattray was about to continue the discussion, when Parker, tho purser, interrupted with a request for her ticket, a request which afforded a much desired opportunity for acquaintanceship—another incident which did not pass unnoticed from the bridge. When the lady excused herself and went off to unpack the hundred and one items deemed necessary for the voyage, the purser turned to Street, his boon companion aboard. “ Look hero, old Sawbones, none of your monopolising that girl for this trip. Pleasant company of her type is all too rare on this ship, and I’m hanged if I see why I shouldn’t have my share of it.” “ And you shall, too, if the young

lady condescends to bestow it on you, though, personally, I liavo formed a high opinion of her taste.” “Oh, shut up yur feeble attempts at sarcasm. Come to my cabin and have a sling.' 1 Ten minutes later the pair, over that seductive Eastern drink, the gin sling, were discussing women in general, and a certain fascinating lady in particular. The male passengers of tho Aparima could hardly ho described os attractive. Two were retired Government servants from the Malay States, oiie was a Singapore surveyor going south, as ho took care to inform everybody, to be married, while tho final party of the quartet was an uncommunicative individual of uncertain age, whose sunken cheeks wore in remarkable contrast to rotundity of his body. Other than vouchsafing that he was a commercial traveller, lie evinced a decided disinclination to discuss himself.

Late that afternoon Captain Macdonald, descending the bridge on completion of the difficult navigation of Rliio. was in no way surprised to find Miss Rattray the centre of animation of a. group comprising five of the ship’s company. Though not exacly pleased, the skipper joined the party, with the mental reservation, that he at least would become no captive to feminine wiles. In less than ten minutes, however. this resolution had gone to the winds, and he found himself acceding to propositions and requests in a manner that astounded, displeased and yet pleased him. Dorothy’s ingenuousness triumphed, and when later she turned to him with a request to see something of the life and quarters of the cadets, the “old man” surprised his officers by cheerfully assenting and offering to gratify the wish immediately. As he led the fair passenger aft, taking the tutor to the boys to make any necessary explanations, the “ Scribe,’ as Parker was universally nicknamed m the fleet, turned with no pleasant expression to the doctor. “ Confound him, the ‘old man’s taken up the running now. He’ll bore a young girl like that to tears, and meantime we shall be left in the background. May the ship run into all the fogs that ever collected between here and Auckland. Thnt’ll keep him on Ins miserable old bridge.” But Dorothy Rattray was not going to be mcnonolised bv anyone. That night at dinner she enthused oyer all she had aeon, evinced a deßira e “ mother ” the embryo officers in the ’tween decks aft, and secured perniission to spend some time in mending and darning for the grateful boys. In less than a week Macdonald's prophecy was fulfilled, though somehow lie did not exiiovience the anticipated displeasure in its fulfilment. Miss Rattray was in some subtle way really in charge of tho ship. She had been allowed to have a ineal with the cadets, had sat at tlieir piano and sung to them, and forward, she had been the life of the deck by day and of the saloon at night. She was honoured with invitations to visit the sacred bridge, and, as Parker put it, the young lady was not. only having “the timo cf her life,” but was in some unaccountable way contriving to make all ethers share this with her. M' viwliile, the predicted trouble, though not of the kind anticipated, was brewing in another quarter. Burton, tho uncommunicative stout passenger, failed for two days to materialise on deck. His cabin boy, apparently well bribed, seemed to have acquired the taciturnity of the man himself, and would give little information as to what was wrong- Eventually Street ascertained that ho of the hollow cheeks and considerable corporation was down with fever. Thinking to be of some help, tho doctor rapped at the closed door and proffered his assistance. A minute later he was pacing the deck in a furious tenipei He, an enthusiastic young medico, full of the importance of his profession, had just been told through a closed door that, he and all of his type were emphatic fools, and that tho man inside the door knew a heap more about fevers than any official aboard the ship. Street was still smarting under this rebuff as ho came across Dorothy Rattray, and retailed his exnerienco. “I liate that man,” she confided m him. “Excellent judgment, he commented. “ The man’s an arrant fool, and a boor to boot.” “ Personally I feel there is something suspicious about him.” “'What makes you imagine that? was the doctor’s prompt query. “Well,” said tho girl somewhat hesitatingly, “you perhaps saw on ou the launch at Singapore my uncle and aunt, with whom I have been travelling for some months. As we came on the pier that day, I noticed a glance of mutual recognition and displeasure pass between Burton and my relative. Uncle’s parting words, too, contained a warning against having anything to do with the man.” “Did lie give you any reasons? asked Street.

“ None whatever; but ho hinted that the man was a suspicious character. Do you think lie is?”

“ At least, he is a deucedl.v uncivil one, and deserves not the slightest sympathy or attention,” concluded her companion, still smarting under the words that had come through the door.

But he was destined to give that attention nevertheless, for next day Burton was reported by his cabin boy as delirious, and Street, after consultation with the Captain, put aside his previous resolution, and entered the man’s room unasked. With one glance at the bunk, the medical man uttered an exclamation of amazement. The head pillowed there was certainly that of Burton, but tho figure outlined under the thin sheet appeared inexplicable. No brief attack of fever, however serious, could have produced the emaciation there displayed. The doctor immediately scented something mysterious, but recognised the time as inopportune for investigation. The man was in a critical state, ; his temperature was abnormally high,, and he raved in a manner that indicated not only acute fever, but also serious mental stress. As' Street ministered to his patient lie could not fail to follow the ravings, and in a few minutes lie grasped their import. The mystery of the man’s figure was explained.

When consciousness returned to Burton, he was possessed of an abject terror at discovering the doctor beside him, and pleaded most piteously that no one should bo allowed to see him. Street desired to repress all speech, but considering that it might improve tho patient’s state of mind, eventually answered a few of the questions that burned upon the lips of tho feverstricken man.

“ Have I been delirious? What did I soy,” he implored, vainly struggling in his excitement to attain a sitting position. Street repressed this attempt. “ You raved about quite a lot of things,” he answered. “ Then you know everything,” moaned the patient. “I havo heard a good deal.” “And you will inform on me, of course?”

The medico could hardly repress a smilo at the changed attitude of the man who had so recently insulted him, and this smile increased in superciliousness at the sudden change of countenance following his assurance that anything discovered by a doctor in treating his patient was absolutely secret. Several days elapsed before the invalid, pale, nervous, but not appreciably thinner, appeared again < on deck. For several days he furtively watched for indications of disclosure of his secret, but non« were visible. Meanwhile, Dorothy and her first shipboard acquaintance had often discussed Burton, Street satisfying himself that the girl knew no more of the man than she had already told.

“ Bv tho way,” he remarked casually during one of these chats, “ may I ask if you have J*l»own your uncle and

aunt long and Intimately?” “Why?” came the truly feminine answer in the form of another question. “Whatever makes you ask that?” “Only the fact that I, too, am slightly observant, and noted that your farewells at Singapore were those of friendship more than affection.” The girl laughed lightly. “ You certainly do use your eyes,” she commented. “To tell you the whole truth, I have known my mother’s brother but ■lightly. He made regular business :.vips to Australia, Now Zealand and the East, and I used to meet him whenever he was in Wellington. When, three yenrs ago, my mother died, after our return from a trip to England, he began to take more interest in his orphan niece, as he was pleased to call me. His descriptions of the wonderful Orient filled me with a desire for further travel, and on his last visit my suggestion that .1 should accompany him and his wife through the Far East was eagerly accepted. But- I soon sickened of the garish sights and ghastly smells, and longed to be back in dear old, dusty, gusty Wellington. I fell a prey to the attractions of the Aparima, and, you see, here I am. Now,” she concluded mischievously, “ there is the history of tho tourist in a nutshell. Have you been wondering whether I was an adventuress, or ono of those ladies who tour the East in more or less successful search for the husbands that are unprocurable in tlieir own lands?”

Street denied such thoughts, and vowed ho had summed up Dorothy Rattray as a most charming example of tho' colonial girl who travels for the broadening of her own mind. Then feeling that the occasion was one for mutual confidence, he enlightened the voung lady on events of his youthful life, his home in the Waikato, his football experiences and capping carnival iunketings at the Medical School of Otago University, his decision to make the trip East at the conclusion of his ’Varsity course, and the comfortable country practice that he was to take over from his father in a few months.

This conversation was only one of many which led to an advance from acquaintanceship to firm friendship, and as the ever observant ship-board gossip observed, was likely to lead much further. By the time the steamer had left Thursday Island, and was sailing down the smooth waters inside tho Great Barrier Reef, even Parker, who had at first grumbled-in no undecided tones, accepted his fate, and was on the look-out for the first opportunity to offer congratulations. Tt was the evening of December 24, and the Red Funnel liner Was just entering tho famous Whitsunday passage, so well known to coastal voyagers ; n eastern Australia. Dorothy and Street went up to the bows to admire the beautiful moonlit scene. They had been gazing at a lighthouse on the island when suddenly the young lady seized her companion’s arm, exclaiming excitedly: “Look, look I They are signalling to us.”

Remembering the Morse alphabet learned in volunteering days, Street picked up the flashes, and began to spell out: "A M-E-R-R “A merry Christmas!” joyfully anticipated the girl as he continued to spell. “ Let us ask someone to return it to them.” “There goes. Sinclair now, from the bridge,” he said, as tho ship’s Morse 'amp reciprocated the message of the lightkeepers. “ Poor lonely lighthousemen! I wonder, if it will be any kind of a merry Christmas for them.”

“Not very, I should imagine. Will it be for you?” “ Why, of course, ■ enthused the girl. “I am enjoying myself immensely. Christmas at sea is always such good fun. I must hang up my stocking. Won’t you enjoy yourself?” “Yes, rather,” he replied. “How could I do otherwise under these circumstances? But I want just ono present to make my happiness complete.” Tho girl failed to note the seriousness of liis tone.' “Oh! What is that?. Let me be Santa Claus, and try to give it to you. Now,” she continued, banteringly, “ what would the good little boy like in his stocking?” “It was no jest,” he murmured, coming close to her. And then, without warning, he poured. out his devotion to the startled girl. Dorothy shrank from his approach. “Please,” she pleaded, “please do Tiot ask that. It is quite impossible. Let us remain friends.”

But Street was not to be put off so easily, and entreated the girl to promise to be his wife. Her answer was a decided shake of tho head as she struggled to overcome her emotion. At last she stammered, “Oh, no—l can’t. You really must not ask mo. I can give you "no reason, except fliat I cannot grant your wish.” “But why? Is it that you do not earn for me?”

“ N-n-no,” came tho hesitating reply that meant so much, “ but I am at present living under circumstances where it would be folly to promise myself to any man I loved.” Street boggod for the young lady s confidence, assuring her he would share her troubles, and make light of them, but his efforts were unavailing. At last ho requested that he might ask the same question at some other time. “Yes,” came the subdued reply, as a pair of tear-dimmed eyes looked up with a message that the lips refused to give. The young man burned to seize her in his arms there and then, but restrained, and asked when ht> might again offer his hand. ‘ Come to are when we are in Auckland, Dorochy murmured, “but till then, please say no more, and let us go on as friends.” , Too excited to imagine a reason for so brief a postponement, Harold Street bent suddenly down, and for one instant liis lips met those of the 'girl ho loved. , , T “ Oh, no, no! not yet!—or—l mean —er —you mustn’t,” and the young lady edged away in a sweet confusion that made her all the,more desirable. Dorothy extracted the promise that there should be no more love-makmg aboard, but only after another kiss had been stolen.

It was a genuinely liappy Christmas aboard tho Aparima next d'ay. huge canvas stocking greeted Doroth. Rattray as she emerged from her cabin She marvelled whence the curious va. riety of gifts had come, but treasured them all, appropriate ' and. inappropriate alike. . Tears dimmed her eyes, and a horrid lump rose in her throat as she read the truly boyish but none the less sincere notGS of greeting emanating from the cadets’ quarters; she smiled amusedly over a letter which distinctly broke tho promise given the night before by the owner of its signature ; and finally she threw herself that day into the gaiety and life of the ship with a whole-hearted ingenuousness that captivated' everyone. A Christ-mas-at-hbme atmosphere was brought to the midday meal m the messroom aft by her presence; there was a certain little scene in a quiet corner amidships for which one or the two concerned blamed an imaginary piece of mistletoe ; and the festive dinner that night was an event worthy of record in the ship's log. The usual reserve between captain and officers was abandoned for the time, and no happier party ever sat round a Christmas board. Even tlio morose Burton unbent to the extent of telling somewhat lugubrious aneodotes. At tho conclusion of the meal the captain was duly toasted, and that astute old sea-dog. after a reply teeming with dry humour, proceeded with twinkling eye to propose the health of the real commander of the vessel, the young lady passenger who had won her way to all of their hearts, He told of his mental

reflection at the commencement of tho voyage, prided himself laughingly on his correctness, and then, to tho intense amusement of all except two, requested that Dr Street, as the best qualified man for the purpose, should reply on Miss Rattray’s behalf.

Dorothy, with glistening eves, was all blushes and confusion, but Street rose to tho occasion, amid much goodhumoured banter that indicated what the others thought of the comradeship of the two. The inevitable yarns followed. and tho “old man,” as even Miss Rattray had come to designate him to others, revelled in sea anecdote. He was in the middle of a story of opium smuggling at Manila, where a clever attempt to land the much-sought drug in cases which were the counterpart of tho Governor’s travelling trunks was neatly nipped by Customs officials. Street glanced at Burton, and noted the latter eyeing him furtively. But it was with a sudden shock that glancing in the mirror behind the man, he saw the reflection in Dorothy’s face. Its pallor and ill-concealed terror, as she hung on every word of tho story, seriously disconcerted him, and his mental state was not improved by recognition that Burton was studying both his and the girl’s facial expressions. With a change of topic the tension passed, but it seemed to v Street that the gaiety for the rest of the evening was forced on the part of at least two of the company. He was disappointed at securing no. chance that evening for private converse with his beloved, and even during the remainder of the voyage his tactful questions failed to elicit the cause of tne girl’s nervousness that Christmas night. Convinced that Burton’s presence boded no good to Miss Rattray, the doctor kept him well under observation, and the alleged commercial traveller littlethought, as they sailed past Rangitoto and towards tho Auckland wharves, that another eye read the anticipated helio message flashed by aid of the early morning sun. The traveller’s face bore an expression of relief as he spelt out the words, “ Samples wanted Wellington; proceed train to-night. ‘ Chandhu.’ ”

Street had sufficient acquaintance of the East to recognise the significance of what purported to he the name of the sender, and had Burton known what was passing in the doctor’s mind he might not have felt so much at ease. Meanwhile Dorothy was extremely, if not feverishly, excited.. She besought her lover’s assistance with her baggage, and he, mindful of what the day had 1 in store, bustled off to her help as soon as he had read the message. “Why,” he exclaimed, as the cabin, boys dumped two solid-looking wooden boxes alongside her already considerable pile, “you must have brought half the goods of the Orient with you. Whatever have you got in these?” “Oli, those hateful trunks are a positive nuisance,” she replied, somewhat testily. “ Why my uncle should buy books m Singapore and ship them down to Wellington is more than I can say. Yet he persuaded me to take the burden of them. I wish I hadn’t, and shall be glad to see the last of them when they are handed over to a forwarding agent here.” At this moment Burton passed and paused to. inform the doctor that ho. would he in Auckland for some days, and hoped to see him at the Star Hotel.

“ Can’t promise,” was the laconic reply. “I shall probably be leaving Auckland within twenty-four hours.” The deliberate attempt at bluff had failed, though Burton little knew it,but the information the man obtained in overhearing a part of the conversation caused him to depart with a selfsatisfied smile.

Two hours later all luggage hud been passed by the Customs, ’a- van. had taken it. to the station for the night mail to Wellington, and a motor-car with a perfectly happy couple ensconced in the hack seat was speeding through the suburbs. What happened during that most interesting ride need not lie recorded, but anyone lunching that day at tho Grand Hotel might have observed a mutually interested pair at a corner table, so totally wrapped up in each other as to be oblivious to surroundings. Tho meal was just coining to a happy conclusion when Parkor hurriedly entered the room, glanced round, and made rapidly for the couple.

“ Come with me outside, quick,” he blurted out. Street- started at the sudden interruption. “ What the thunder’s the matter?” “ I can’t tell you here. Come where we can talk in private, but come quickly.” A glance at Dorothy’s face checked the outburst on the' medico’s lips. There was tho same expression as he had Been that Christmas night. He rose and, in blank amazement, followed the other two to a private sitting-room. Parker, excited on arrival, became further perturbed by tjio message conveyed by. a symbol on the third finger of tho girl’s left hand. Street gave him a glance of inquiry, so before the doctor could ask anything, the purser went straight to the point with his important news. “ Miss Rattray’s, boxes have been opened at the station, and the police have found some of them full of opium. They are searching for her.” Dorothy sank on a couch with a low moan and buried her face in her hands. “ Oh, I have been too hasty. I felt all along it would happen,” Street stood speechless for a moment. Then his wrath broke loose. .“ The damned fools.’ ho exclaimed in bus excitement. " This is ridiculous', impossible. I shall see tho inspector at once.”

" No, Harold,” pleaded the girl. “It is true. I am a smuggler. But there is something wrong.-” And the young ladv broke down completely. Parker turned away. In a moment Street was beside the girl, all expostulation and protest over some mistake, and absolutely refusing to believe her statement. Eventually she regained her self-control. "Listen to the whole story,” she said, "and then judge me.”' Street wanted only to console his promised wife, hut she insisted on both of them hearing all she had to tell. So both listened while the girl, with an occasional sob that sorely tried the control of her lover, told how her uncle had asked her to bring the cases of books to New Zealand. She had agreed. A day later he informed her that ono of the cases contained a small tin of opium, a present for the friend to whom the books were consigned. Dorothy declared this was smuggling, and wanted to go back on her promise, but her uncle laughed at her. ridiculed her moral scruples, and finally, by opening a case and inserting a note to the effect that the.bearer of the goods knew nothing of tho contents, half persuaded, half forced the girl to do his will. Only when, some days out from Singapore, the captain had chatted to her of opium smuggling, and the many queer tricks resorted to in connection with it, did she realiso the full import of what she had undertaken, and it preyed on her for tho rest of the voyage. For that reason sho had not given Street an answer that Christmas Eve. .

"You little knew,” she concluded, "how near I was that night to confessing all to you, or what I suffered in torture during the captain’s stories on Christmas night.”

"But,” interrupted Parker, "both cases were full of opium.” "Impossible,” replied •'the girl. "T myself saw books put in them.”

” The books were dummies. Each was hollow; the leaves were only edges, and tins of opium were concealed inside.” Miss Rattray could find no words to express herself at this revelation of how eh© had been a smuggler’s tool, but her fiance supplied tho language,

and supplied it forcibly. Then an idoa connected with a message he had read that morning came to him. “ Why was the luggage opened at the station?” he asked the purser. “ The police examined the boxes; I believe,” replied that astute individual, “ found the opium, and came to the ship to me for information. Fortunately I told them little till I heard, the whole story. Then 1 started off on a hunt for you both, for I knew you would be together,” ho said, unable to resist a smile. “ They described the informer wild sent them to the station as a man tall, dark, clean shaven and very thin. He tallied with no one on the ship.” “ Burton, by Jove!” ejaculated the doctor, starting up. The others gazed inoredulously at him. His .promise m the cabin immediately went to th» winds, and out came the story of the real character of tho supposedly fab ruan. Forgetful of the pressing need for action, he launched into' objurgations upon the scoundrel, but waß recalled to a calmer state by Dorothy's remark that the police were searchinffl for her, and she had better give herself up. Here Barker came in with a suggestion as both he and the doctor impressed upon the girl her innocence. “ Look here,” said the now enthusiastic purser. " I have a scheme. Why should the police ever find you? You are quite guiltless, but we must keep this matter out or the papers. Now, the Tofua leaves for Fiji In an hour. Why not take a trip with- -her till everything has been cleared up by the doc. and myself P” The girl protested. Street declared the scheme impossible, hut in the end Parker’s logic and persistence triumphed despite objections on the ground that such action would be tantamount to acknowledging guilt. A short counsel of war followed, and in this the actions of Burton were not forgotten. A car then conveyed a trio to Queen’s Wharf, where a brief interview with Andrews, purser of the Tofua, sufficed to arrange matters, and a cabin was arranged for-a young lady who had but one small travelling bag. As the gangway was being removed, an excited young medico, who found it all too difficult to tear nimself away from the vessel, clambered down, and stood waving fiercely till his eyes oould see no more of a tear-stained race tha& leaned over tho rail.

Late that afternoon the chief inspector of police at Auckland had a most unusual interview with a man who commenced by irritating, and concluded by winning whole-hearted interest in his suggestions. The tale he had to unfold regarding smuggling of opium sent the investigator of crime off on an entirely different track. Instructions were given for the cancellation of the orders concerning the search for a young lady whose boxes were in tho possession of the police. These boxes, in which the exonerating note was duly found, were re-packed, and orders were wired to Wellington to watch their progress on arrival there. That evening, as a tall thin man watched his baggage being 6towed In the van of the mail train, he little dreamed that the helio message had been read, that others had acted on it, and that he was even then under close supervision by detectives. No sooner had the train started than two men in the van proceeded to investigate the contents of his bags, and 60 quiet were their subsequent actions that it was some time before the occupants of the smoking car were aware that an arrest had taken place in tlieir midst. A few days later two boxes were removed from Wellington checked luggage .office, and another arrest followed tnoir delivery, while no small quantity of confiscated “ ehandu ” was destroyed by the authorities. Burton eventually admitted that his motive for informing the police of the contents of Miss Rattray’s boxes was that he knew tho consignor of them, her uncle, to be a gular smuggler, and suspected him of, an attempt to U6e the Aparima as he had previously done so successfully in the past. His reading of the girl’s face that Christmas night, and his overhearing her remarks to Street just prior to landing, had confirmed His suspicions. He feared that the unloading through illicit channels at the same time of two considerable quantities of opium would greatly lower the price, and in the interest of his own pocket he informed the police that a search of certain carefully described boxes in the Auckland station would repay them. He little dreamed that it would lead to the confiscation of all that had helped to swell his bulk, and all that had been concealed inside the boots and shoes ;he carried ab travellers had the mail train with its detectives sped south from Auckland that night than the wireless operator of the Tofua delivered to a pretty, sadeyed girl who had been sitting for dinner at the purser’s table a message that brought an instant change to her features. The young lady read it through again, and then, in exuberance of spirits, rushed off to find Andrews. Later the operator saw the, two pacing the deck, both apparently in an excellent frame of mind, and he failed to understand why on earth a purely affectionate message from some chap ashore should produce this effect. Three weeks later the Aparima, back from her coastal discharge, was lying again at Auckland, and Captain Macdonald strolled, to the outer tee of the i wharf to watch the berthing .of tha ; new Canadian-Australian liner, of which this was his first view. As the gangway was lowered from the magnificent R.M.S. Niagara he was astound- - ed to see two familiar figures descendWell, of all the !” he remarked, going up to them. But he had hardly extended a hand ere Parker rushed up so wildly excited that he almost kissed the young lady in the exuberance of his greetings. And she, on her part, appeared as if under tho circumstances, sHo would not- have cared.- , “When did it happenP” gasped the purser, after many handshakes. “ A fortnight ago, in Suva,” was the doctor’s happy reply. . , “Well, I’m blest!” exclaimed the skipper, bringing out the last word in deference to the presence of a lady. “Where have you been, then?” “In Fiji, on our honeymoon,” replied a dimpling young lady. “ And now we are off to Wellington to search for my luggage, which went astray the day we left the Aparima.” “Yes,” concluded the radiant husband. “and we shan’t be at all annoyed when we find that two of the package are. missing.”