Kenwardine’s manner was careless, but Jake imagined he felt more interest than he showed.
“It was blowing pretty fresh when she left us, and if the scows had broken adrift again, there’d have been some risk of losing them. This would delay the delivery of the coal, and we’re getting very short of fuel.”
“I see,” said Kenwardine. “Well, if anything of the kind had happened, I would have heard of it. You needn’t be afraid of not getting a supply.”
Jake waited. He thought it might look significant if he showed any eagerness to change the subject, but when Kenwardine began to talk about something else he followed his lead. Half an hour later he left the house, feeling that he had used commendable tact, but determined not to tell Brandon about the interview. Dick had a habit of exaggerating the importance of things, and since he already distrusted Kenwardine, Jake thought it better not to give him fresh ground for suspicion. There was no use in supplying his comrade with another reason for preventing his going to the house.
CHAPTER XVI
JAKE GETS INTO DIFFICULTIES
Day was breaking, though it was still dark at the foot of the range, when Dick returned wearily to his iron shack after a night’s work at the dam. There had been a local subsidence of the foundations on the previous afternoon, and he could not leave the spot until precautions had been taken to prevent the danger spreading. Bethune came with him to look at some plans, and on entering the veranda they were surprised to find the house well lighted and smears of mud and water upon the floor.
“Looks as if a bathing party had been walking round the shack, and your boy had tried to clean up when he was half-asleep,” Bethune said.