Chapter 13

⁠​​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌⁠When Peter descended the stairway into the narrow vestibule which served as reception-hall, dining-saloon, and, incidentally, as the corridor from which the Hankow's four small staterooms were entered, he had the chilly feeling that the darkness had eyes.

Yet he saw nothing. The cabin was dark. Three round ports glimmered greenly beyond the staircase on the cabin's forward side. The glimmer was occ