"We kept on through the whole of it Friday night," I added.
"You were outside of the reef, and you could not make a harbor," retorted Captain Blastblow. "But I got to Key West two hours before you did."
"You did not go to the assistance of a wrecked bark as I did, and land her ship's company in Key West," I replied.
The captain of the Islander wanted to know about the wreck; and at another time I told him all about it. We were too much concerned in verifying our theory in relation to the robbery in Jacksonville to agree to any long digression.
"Is the steward the only person who has been a constant visitor to the cabin?" I asked.
"Gibbs, the waiter, did all the work in the cabin; and he must have seen more of the passengers than even the steward," replied the captain.
"Probably on deck, or asleep in some corner."
"Perhaps we had better call the steward and waiter," suggested Colonel Shepard.
The captain went to the head of the companion-way, and called the steward. Mr. Lonsdale had not spent much time in the cabin, though he slept in one of the berths abaft the state-rooms. He confirmed the statement of the captain that there had been a great deal of earnest conversation between the Floridian and the "young swell." He never listened to private conversation, and he had not the remotest idea what they were talking about. Perhaps Gibbs, the waiter, might know more about the matter than he did.
Gibbs was found to be fast asleep on a sofa in the after part of the cabin. He knew nothing at all about what had happened since the Islander came into the river, and appeared to be not a little surprised when he saw the owner and myself. He was a light Mulatto, a very good-looking fellow, and I judged that he was intelligent.
"Where are the passengers, Gibbs?" asked Captain Blastblow.
"I don't know, sir; somewhere about the vessel, I suppose; most likely asleep in the staterooms," replied the waiter.
"Where do they spend their time when they are below?" continued the captain, in an easy and indifferent tone.
Gibbs answered the question in a very indefinite manner. The passengers were mostly in their state-rooms, on the sofa, or sitting in the chairs.
"Have you noticed them in any particular place in the cabin, except in their state-rooms, in the chairs, or on the sofas?" I asked, with considerable energy, for the waiter seemed to be rather stupid and bewildered, and I thought he needed something to wake him up.