"What's the matter?" inquired the coastguard.
"N—nothing," said the captain, who seemed visibly affected.
"I know what's took you so sudden like," said the coastguard. "You caught sight o' these two letters," and he turned up the hat and pointed to "L. D.," which were marked in the inside brim.
The captain nodded, gravely.
"I confess it," he said. "I did see them."
And he turned to leave the station.
Presently he turned back again, suddenly.
"Has Mr. Leicester Dodson been to identify the body?" he asked.
The two men looked at each other.
"No, he haven't," said the coastguard.