“How did you know that, sir?” said the man huskily.
“By your manner and the tone of your voice. What is it you are thinking? Out with it at once.”
“Well, sir, I dunno how you come to know, but it has come over me just lately like a skeer. Aren’t the young gents been much longer this time?”
“Yes, much,” replied the skipper; “or else it seems to be.”
“I thought so, sir, and I’ve got so now that I feels as if I can’t bear it. What are you going to do, sir? Follow ’em up and see what’s wrong?”
“I shall give them ten minutes longer, Winks. I meant to stay here to the very last, ready to give the enemy a volley and a check if they should come on; but now the time has come to hurry on to the wharf and wait there in the hope that the boat may still come and take us off without further waste of time.”
“But don’t let me make you downhearted, sir,” said the carpenter, trying to speak cheerily. “I’m a bit of an old woman in my ways sometimes. Maybe it’s all right, after all.”
“Maybe it is,” said the skipper. “We are tired out and over-anxious now. It’s quite possible that we shall have them back here soon.”
“Pst!” whispered the carpenter. “There’s some one coming.”
It was from their rear, and the next moment they were joined by Don Ramon.