While the sloop was driving wildly south before the following seas, or beating slowly in long tacks when the breeze fell light and drew ahead, the yacht skimmed over the water at her best speed; and one gray morning she steamed up Puget Sound, and a low blast of her whistle rang dolefully as she passed Osborne’s house. Clay had made his last voyage; she brought his lifeless body home.
CHAPTER XXXI—A GIFT FROM THE DEAD
Jimmy and his companions sat on the balcony formed by the flat roof of the veranda in front of Jaques’ store. It was a fine evening and a light breeze stirred the dust in the streets of the wooden town. Beyond the ugly, square-fronted buildings that straggled down to the wharf, the water lay shining in the evening light, and through a gap the sloop showed up distinctly, riding in the harbor mouth. On the other hand, a blaze of crimson burned above the crest of a hill and the ragged pines stood out harshly sharp against the glow. Work was over for the day, and groups of men lounged in chairs on the sidewalks outside the hotels, while here and there a citizen and his family occupied the stoop of his dwelling.
Jimmy had briefly related their adventures in the North, though nothing had yet been said about the party’s future plans. Now, however, Jaques and his wife were waiting to discuss them.
“Clay must have died soon after you left the yacht,” the storekeeper said. “As you believe his son is friendly, we have no opposition to fear; and we may as well settle what is to be done.”
“Bethune is our business manager,” Jimmy said. “Perhaps he will give us his opinion.”
Bethune leaned forward with a thoughtful air.
“In the first place, the matter is not so simple as it looks. We don’t know the whole story of the wreck, and I’m inclined to think we’ll never learn it. On the other hand, there’s much to be guessed, and one could form a theory which would be rather hard to contradict. In fact, except for certain prejudices, I believe we could make some money out of it.”
“You can call them prejudices, if you like,” Mrs. Jaques broke in. “For all that, it would be wiser to act up to them.”
“It’s possible,” Bethune agreed. “Just the same, we’re in a rather responsible position.”