Page:Last Cruise of the Spitfire.djvu/127

Rh "No, indeed."

A moment later the captain came on deck followed by Lowell. They gazed sharply about, and I was sure they were counting to see if any of the men were missing, for presently the boatswain entered the forecastle to see if one of the men was not there.

"I will have to leave you now," I said to the lawyer. "We must not excite suspicion."

"You are right," he replied. "I will go into the cabin and take a rest and think over what you have told me. We have as yet plenty of time in which to act."

Ranson left me, and I joined Dibble, who was at work tarring some ropes.

It was not very agreeable work, but for the sake of being near him, and at the same time to please Captain Hannock, I lent a hand, and we spent the remainder of the day together.

"When shall we reach New Bedford?" I asked, as we were going to mess.

"Depends on the wind," was Dibble's reply. "If it holds out we may be there by to-morrow morning."

"So soon!"

"Might have been there before if it hadn't been for the storm. That knocked us clear out of our bearings."