"Did we come out here to fish or to talk?" Rick asked. They were anchored a few hundred yards off the reef tip and had been for almost an hour. In that time Cap'n Mike had made a good haul of four blacks, one flounder and a porgy. Rick and Scotty had caught two blacks apiece.
There was a definite twinkle in Cap'n Mike's eyes. "Came to talk," he said. "But the fish are biting too good. Better fish while the fishing's good. Time enough to talk later."
"Time enough for fishing later, you mean," Rick retorted. "Hauling in blackfish isn't going to find out why the Sea Belle was wrecked."
"Got the answer to that already," Cap'n Mike said.
Rick and Scotty stared. "You have?" Rick asked incredulously.
"Stands to reason. Didn't you tell me you knew Mrs. Tyler was scared?"
"Yes, but what...."
"Well, Tom is scared, too. He wasn't, until the Sea Belle was wrecked, but he sure is now. That's why he's sticking to that story of his instead of telling the truth."
"What is the truth?" Scotty demanded.
"Don't know that. Yet. Reckon I'll find out, though. Only I'll need some help."