"Wonder what's on his mind?" Rick asked.
Brad Marbek saw the direction of their glance. "You kids know Jimmy? He's my nephew."
The pause before Cap'n Mike spoke was proof of his surprise. "You don't say!" He changed the subject abruptly. "Say, Brad, I've been meaning to ask you. Did you notice any peculiar current offshore last night?"
"Current? Can't say I did. Why?"
"Bill Lake claims a strong current set him off course just as he picked up Smugglers' Light, about the time Tom Tyler ran aground."
Rick thought that Brad Marbek hesitated slightly and searched for the right answer.
"Now that you mention it, I did notice a little shift." A scoop whirred out of the hold, crossed the pier, dumped its load and started the return. "Let me know if you find out any more about it," Marbek said. "Right now I guess I better attend to my unloadin'."
"Sure, Brad," Cap'n Mike said. "We'll be getting on. By the way, happen to know where Jim Killian is tied up?"
"I think he's on the other side of the pier. Cross over and duck under the belts. He should be right abeam of us."
"Thanks. Let's go, boys."