The musing smile lingered again about the boy's lips.
'You're tired out, old man,' went on the American. 'I shouldn't have waked you. Good-night.'
The other stopped him from rising by catching his arm with his hand. 'Do you mind,' said Dick, his eyes opening wide, 'just staying here until I go to sleep? . . . There are all sorts of wild things going through my head to-night . . . waves pounding, pounding, pounding. It never stops, Selwyn. . . . And I seem to hear shouts a long way off—like smugglers landing their stuff in the dark. I'm an awful idiot to talk like this, old boy, but I've lost my courage a bit.'
And so for nearly half-an-hour the American remained watching by the lad as sleep hovered about and gradually settled on him.
As Selwyn quietly stole from the room the City's clocks were striking three.
II.
It was after nine o'clock when Selwyn woke from a deep, refreshing sleep. Hurrying into the other room, he found no sign of his guests.
'When did these gentlemen leave?' he asked of his servant, who had answered his ring.
'It must have been about six o'clock, sir. I heard the door open and shut then.'
'Why didn't you call me?'