"What boy?"
"Luke Foster."
"Did you hire him to do it?"
"Hire him? Do you think I am a fool!" shouted Captain Hannock.
"Perhaps I do. The reason I asked was because I know you started out with the intention of setting fire to the schooner, or destroying her in some way," returned Mr. Henshaw.
"It's false," began Captain Hannock. "The Spitfire was——"
At that instant he stopped short. He had caught sight of us, and his face turned a sickly green. No doubt he felt that for once he had been thoroughly sold.
Lowell and Crocker also noted our entrance. The sailor fell back in a fright. The boatswain turned upon me fiercely.
"You whippersnapper!" he exclaimed. "Where did you come from?"
I offered him no reply, and he went on: