Dick gave him a grateful smile. “If I see how you can help, I’ll let you know. In the meantime, you’ll say nothing to imply that I’m on the watch.”
“Well,” said Jake, grinning, “if you can bluff Stuyvesant, you’ll be smarter than I thought. You’re a rather obvious person and he’s not a fool.”
He went away, but Dick lighted a cigarette and sat still in the shade. He was frankly daunted, but did not mean to stop, for he saw that he was following the right clue. His reason for visiting the Adexe wharf had been guessed. He had been watched when he went to the Vice-Consul, and it was plain that his enemies thought he knew enough to be dangerous. The difficulty was that he did not know who they were. He hated to think that Kenwardine was a party to the plot, but this, while possible, was by no means certain. At Santa Brigida, a man’s life was not thought of much account, and it would, no doubt, have been enough if Kenwardine had intimated that Dick might cause trouble; but then Kenwardine must have known what was likely to follow his hint.
After all, however, this was not very important. He must be careful, but do nothing to suggest that he understood the risk he ran. If his antagonists thought him stupid, so much the better. He saw the difficulty of playing what Jake called a lone hand against men skilled in the intricate game; but he could not ask for help until he was sure of his ground. Besides, he must find a way of stopping Kenwardine without involving Clare. In the meantime he had a duty to Fuller, and throwing away his cigarette, resumed his work.
Two or three days later he met Kenwardine in a café where he was waiting for a man who supplied some stores to the camp. When Kenwardine saw Dick he crossed the floor and sat down at his table. His Spanish dress became him, he looked polished and well-bred, and it was hard to think him a confederate of half-breed ruffians who would not hesitate about murder. But Dick wondered whether Clare had told him about his proposal.
“I suppose I may congratulate you on your recent promotion? You certainly deserve it,” Kenwardine remarked with an ironical smile. “I imagine your conscientiousness and energy are unusual, but perhaps at times rather inconvenient.”
“Thanks!” said Dick. “How did you hear about the matter?”
“In Santa Brigida, one hears everything that goes on. We have nothing much to do but talk about our neighbors’ affairs.”
Dick wondered whether Kenwardine meant to hint that as his time was largely unoccupied he had only a small part in managing the coaling business, but he said: “We are hardly your neighbors at the camp.”
“I suppose that’s true. We certainly don’t see you often.”