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44 "And where is Dan Holbrook?" I put in impatiently.

"It's a sorry tale to tell, lad," answered the first mate of the ill-fated Dart.

"He was—was drowned?" I could scarcely speak the words.

"He was. You see it was this way. We were running along during the night and all hands were utterly worn out and half asleep. Suddenly a wave as big as a church bore down on us and nearly swamped our craft. I went overboard and so did Dan Holbrook and Casey. All of us went under, and when I came up and clambered aboard again, Holbrook and Casey were missing."

"Yis, poor Casey was missing God rist his sowl!" murmured Matt Gory, who was the missing man's cousin. He turned to me. "Was you an' Mister Holbrook related, me b'y?" he questioned tenderly.

"No, but—but Dan was almost like a brother," I answered, in a voice that choked me, and then I had to turn away to hide the tears that would come.

The only man who seemed to enjoy my sorrow was Captain Kenny, who leered at me in a manner that made me feel like leaping upon him and hurling him under my feet to be trampled upon.