"She is on record as having sailed the evening before. Her clearance papers were so made out and as she probably got away without tug or pilot in the early dawn nobody connected him with her."
"You didn't have this end of the voyage in mind, of course?"
"As God is my judge I did not," answered Harnash, earnestly.
"The Susquehanna was overdue at Vladivostok by about three weeks, I believe," continued the old man. "That's why you've been so distrait and worried and generally knocked up during the last month?"
"Yes. I expected to get word from Beekman."
"How?"
"He would naturally cable me, his business partner."
"Oh, then he doesn't know anything about your part, if he is alive."
"Certainly not, unless Woywod told him, which would be most unlikely."
"I see. Well, go and cable Smithfield and find out when the next steamer sails for the United States from Hawaii, and arrange to leave here four days before her scheduled arrival so you can get this third officer and his men before they scatter. You know what sailors are. By the way, who is the third officer?"