"Let me do it, sir," put in Mr. Brill, who was simply spoiling for a row, and he stepped towards Lestrange.
The man's courage, genuine enough of its kind, suddenly gave way before the ferocity of the sailor. He sprang up, ran into an inner room and bolted the door.
Joe uttered the roar of a baffled tiger.
"Never mind, Joe; we're quit of him now. He will leave Heathton."
"I'll wait for him at the station," muttered Joe, following the young Squire out of doors. "'Tain't right that the swab should get off scot-free."
Outside the rain had ceased. Alan looked at his watch, and finding that it was late, turned his face towards home. Suddenly he recollected that Joe had not explained his absence.
"Well, Joe, where have you been?" he asked sharply.
"After him." Joe pointed his thumb over his shoulder. "When master's body was carried away, I thought that shark might have done it. I know'd he was coming from Jamaica, so I went to Southampton to see when he arrived."
"You did not see him?"
"No," was the gloomy reply. "But I seed the list of passengers in one of them boats, and his name wos on it. He couldn't have done it!"