Page:Cornelia Meigs--The island of Appledore.djvu/99

Rh coats, or the shine of the younger officer’s bright red hair.

“That’s a queer pair we picked up,” the Captain was saying as they passed. “I went down to see how they were getting on and  found the boy all worked up about some  scheme that he claims is being hatched on  Appledore Island. He says that the old sailor wants it reported, and may be too far gone to  do it himself, but he isn’t very clear as to just  what the trouble is. The best I can make out seems to be that there is an effort being made  to buy this man Saulsby’s land, and that he is  sure there is German influence backing it,  with a view to getting ready a possible base of  supplies in case of war.”

“One hears of such things having gone on for years abroad, before the German trouble  cut loose,” said the other, “but the boy may not  have known what he was talking about. He had been hanging to that boat four or five  hours and that doesn’t tend to clear the brain.”

“Well,” said the Captain, “I’m not very sure myself, but I may plan to look into the matter without telling him so. The harbour he speaks of is at the northwest end—”

They moved out of hearing, and Billy took