“What? To believe you honest?” inquired the girl. “I can’t believe that young men as cool and brave, and as unmindful of fatigue, as you two have been through the night can be anything but staunch and honest.”
“Thank you. Now, wait a moment, please, until I call out to Ham to pull his berth curtains before you pass through the motor room,” urged Halstead.
It took him a minute or so to rouse Ham Mockus and make that steward comprehend. Then the young skipper led the girl into the motor room.
“It’ll be pretty wet on deck, even yet,” hinted the lad, pausing in the motor room. “Here’s an oilskin coat. You had better slip it on.”
After helping her into the enveloping garment, Halstead assisted her to step onto the bridge deck.
“Better get a tight hold on the life-lines, Miss Silsbee,” he urged.
Joe Dawson, dog tired, was glad none the less, that his chum had been able to snatch some rest. Joe nodded brightly to both, then the sight of the young captain’s drawn face caught the young engineer’s attention.
“What on earth is the matter, Tom?” he demanded.
“During the night ten thousand dollars belonging to Mr. Tremaine has disappeared.”
“No!” exploded Joe, incredulously.