“To know where Richter is, and who supplied him with the money he paid for the coaling business.”
“Then I’m sorry I cannot tell you, and you certainly wouldn’t get the information by having me locked up, but perhaps I can meet you in another way. Now it’s obvious that you know enough to make it awkward for me to carry on the Adexe wharf, and my help is necessary for the part of the business you object to. If I retire from it altogether, you ought to be satisfied.”
The Spaniard did not answer, and while he pondered, the beat of a launch’s engine came in through the open ports. Kenwardine lighted a cigarette, spending some time over it, and as he finished the launch ran alongside. There were footsteps on deck, and a few moments later a steward entered the saloon.
“We are going in,” he announced. “Will you have your luggage put on deck?”
“You can take ours up,” said Don Sebastian, who indicated Kenwardine. “Leave this gentleman’s for the present.”
Kenwardine did not object, but Jake, who was watching him, thought he saw, for the first time, a hint of uneasiness in his look. Then Don Sebastian got up.
“I must think over Señor Kenwardine’s suggestion, and you may want to talk to him,” he said, and went out.
When he had gone, Kenwardine turned to Dick. “There’s a matter I would like to clear up; I had nothing to do with the attempts that seem to have been made upon your life. In fact, I suspected nothing of the kind until you told me about the accident at the dam, but Fuller afterwards showed me that it was time to interfere.”
“That’s true,” said Jake. “Anyhow, I gave him a plain hint, but as he didn’t seem able to stop the accidents, I put Don Sebastian on the track.”
“You can’t with any fairness make me accountable for the actions of half-breeds who hold life very cheap and meant to keep a paying job,” Kenwardine resumed, addressing Dick. “You knew what kind of men you had to deal with and took the risk.”