“You'll have to see the New York office, sir, about that,” he said.
“I will, will I?” snapped Crang. “Well, that isn't all I'll see them about!”
“I am sure they will do what they can, sir, to make things right--if they are to blame,” said the purser a little sharply. “But it might have been your teamer, you know, who made the mistake.” He turned to the door. “I will arrange about your going ashore, Mr. Bruce.”
“Yes!” growled Crang savagely--and five minutes later, swearing volubly for the benefit of those within hearing, he wriggled his way down a rope ladder to the tug's deck.
“The captain 'll be along as soon as we start,” the man informed him.
Crang made himself comfortable in a cushioned chair. He sat chuckling maliciously, as he stared up at the towering hull that twinkled with lights above him--and then the chuckle died away, and little red spots came and burned in his sallow cheeks, and his lips worked, and his hands curled until the nails bit into the palms.
A man came into the pilot house, and gave the wheel a spin.
“We're off!” said the man heartily. “You've had tough luck, I hear.”
Crang's fingers caressed his bruised and swollen throat.
“Yes,” said Crang with a thin smile; “but I think somebody is going to pay the bill--in full.”
|HAWKINS very cautiously got out of bed, and consulted his watch. It was five minutes after nine. He stole to the door and listened. There was no sound from below. Mrs. Hedges, who had been his jailor all day, had now, he was fairly certain, finally retired for the night.
The old blue eyes blinked in perplexity and he scratched at the fringe of hair behind his ear in a perturbed way, as he began, still cautiously, to dress. It had been a very dreary day, during which he had suffered not a little physical discomfort. Mrs. Hedges had been assiduous in her attentions; more than that, even--motherly.
“God bless her!” said Hawkins to one of his boots, as he laced it up. “Only she wouldn't let me out.”
He stopped lacing the boot suddenly, and sat staring in front of him. Mrs. Hedges had been more than even motherly; she had been--been--yes, that was it--been puzzling. If she had said Paul Veniza wanted to see him, why had she insisted that Paul Veniza didn't want to see him? Hawkins' gaze at the blank wall in front of him became a little more bewildered. He tried to reconstruct certain fragments of conversation that had taken place between Mrs. Hedges and himself.