“No, sir.”
“Haven’t heard any one talking about him, eh? Come ashore yesterday.”
Mrs Shackle shook her head.
“Thank ye!—No, Dick,” continued the master, turning back to where the men were waiting, and unconsciously brushing against the bush behind which the middy had hidden himself, “that woman knows nothing. If she knew evil had come to the poor lad, her face would tell tales like print. Hi! You, sir,” he said, going towards where Jemmy stood grinning.
“Mornin’,” said Jemmy; “come arter some more milk?”
“No,” growled Gurr.
“Don’t want to take the cow away agen, do ’ee?”
“Look here, my lad, one of our boys is missing. Came ashore yesterday, lad of seventeen in a red cap.”
“Oh!” said Jemmy with a vacant look. “Don’t mean him as come with you, do you?”
“I said a lad ’bout seventeen, in a red cap like yours,” said Gurr very shortly.