GUY HAVING, as he supposed, made his way on board the propeller without being seen by anybody, ran with all possible speed toward the engine-room, keeping a good lookout on all sides for fear of meeting the steward who, as he had learned to his cost, had a way of turning up most unexpectedly. That officer was not in sight, however, but somebody else was, as Guy found when he entered the engineer’s room. It was the striker, who was busy oiling the machinery.
The runaway stopped, undecided what to do. The man, hearing the sound of his footsteps, looked up, and after casting his eyes all about him, nodded encouragingly, and pointed with his thumb over his shoulder toward the door of the locker, which stood invitingly open. This reassured Guy, who started forward again, and in less time than it takes to tell it, was snugly curled away in the box behind the door.
The engineer came in soon afterward to put away his oil can, and when he went out he locked the door after him.
Guy felt perfectly safe then, and told himself that there was no danger of discovery. No one came near the locker until the propeller was well out from Saginaw, and then Flint appeared, carrying under his arm a bundle wrapped up in a newspaper.
“Well, our plans worked all right, didn’t they?” said he, and he seemed as highly elated as Guy himself. “You couldn’t have a better hiding-place than this. The steward would never think of looking for you here, even if he knew you were on board, which he doesn’t. There’s only one in the secret beside me and the engineers, and that’s the friend who stole your money.”
“Bob Walker!” gasped Guy. “How did he find it out?”
“He saw you when you came aboard.”
“Then my cake is all dough,” said Guy in great alarm. “He’ll blow on me sure.”
“I’ll risk him, and insure his silence for a dime,” returned Flint. “He’s afraid of me, and he’d better be; for if I hear of his trying to get you into trouble, I’ll have him before the cap’n in less time than he could say ‘hard a port’ with his mouth open. Here’s your purse. I knew he had it.”