“Where did you get it?” the captain asked.
“That,” she said, “is something else which is none of your business.”
The captain frowningly regarded the money belt which he held in his hand. “How did this belt become wet?”
She remained silent.
“Can you tell me how long it’s been under that mattress?”
Again she made no answer.
The captain raised the mattress. “You’ll notice that the mattress isn’t wet, except for a spot or two where the belt touched it.”
Mrs. Newberry remained defiantly silent.
The captain lowered the mattress. “I’m sorry this was necessary, Mrs. Newberry. I’m taking over the custody of this money. The purser will give you a receipt for it and keep it in the ship’s safe.”
The purser took a notebook from his pocket, scribbled a receipt, signed it, and handed it to Mrs. Newberry. She snatched it from his fingers, tore it across, dropped the pieces to the floor, and stamped on them.