“Don't you suppose you can get some more out of him?”
“Might be done.”
“I feel that it's sailors against the shore pirates this time, sir. Won't you call that man out here and ask him some questions and allow me to listen?”
“Under the circumstances I'll do it. Sailors first is my motto. You step into the mate's stateroom, there, and put ear to the crack o' the door.”
But when Bradish appeared, answering the captain's summons, all his chattiness had left him. He declared that he knew nothing about the trouble in the Montana case.
“But you said something about a scheme to fool a green captain?”
“It was only gossip—I probably got it wrong. I have thought it over and really can't remember where I heard it or much about it. Might have been just newspaper faking.”
He kept peering about the dimly lighted room.
“You needn't worry, young man. That nigger isn't here.”
“But he said he was a white man. And how does he come to be interested?”