Joe Deering's curiosity was excited now by the housekeeper's manner, and he pressed her for further information.
"That Captain Robinson worrited him to a skeleton, sir," she answered; "he was always here nag, nag, nagging night and day. At last my poor master bolted, sir."
"Bolted!"
"Ran away."
"Where to?"
"I don't know; but he bolted from here, and from Captain Robinson."
"But Mr. Murray was surely not in fear of Captain Robinson?"
"Indeed, he was. Captain Robinson knew something about my poor master that oughtn't to be known, so it was said, and he was always trying to force Mr. Murray to give him money."
"The deuce he was!" said Captain Deering. "This throws a new light on the scoundrel and his cursed good-natured-looking figure-head."
"A deceitful beast!" said the housekeeper, warmly. "You would have thought that he couldn't hurt a worm to look at him, and yet I do believe that he's drove poor Mr. Murray to make away with himself."