"Well," the Captain added, wiping his dry lips with the back of his hand, "do you know what will happen to the Sea Lion while you are gone?"
"Nothing serious, I hope."
"She will be blown up, and me with it!" almost screamed the Captain. "The power that is handling this matter would do more than that to get the papers you have secured out of the way, and to get rid of Babcock, my son, and myself."
"They seek to murder you?"
"I believe it."
"Why?"
"For two reasons. We know too much, and we failed."
"You haven't named the power," suggested Ned.
"I am unable to do so. I don't know. I have done all my work with a go-between."
"I see," Ned said.