“How soon will he be back?”
“He didn’t tell me that, either.”
“Did he go on the ‘Rocket’?”
“No.”
“Captain,” demanded one of the reporters, eyeing the lad keenly, “pardon me for asking you if you answered that last question truthfully.”
“On my honor I did,” Halstead replied, promptly. “Yesterday Mr. Delavan went out on the ‘Rocket.’ To-day only his friend, Mr. Moddridge, went out with us.”
“See here, captain,” demanded another reporter, bruskly and somewhat roughly, “don’t you know, quite well, that Delavan has skipped away, probably out of the country, for good?”
“I give you my word, gentlemen, that I don’t know it, or even believe it. Indeed, while I do not presume to feel myself in Mr. Delavan’s confidence, I am very sure that he cannot be many miles from here at this moment.”
“Then where is he?”
“Not being in Mr. Delavan’s confidence, I can’t tell you.”