"I am sorry to have to take advantage of your hospitality, Mr. Bassett," sneered the visitor.
"I cal'late you be," returned Tobias dryly. "But that's your own fault. You've made yourself sort o' disliked around here, and I'm frank to tell you so. But I wouldn't leave a dog stay out such weather as this. And Rafe——
"Why, do you know, Lorna," he added, turning to the girl. "Rafe Silver's got his hand in a sling. Broke his wrist, or something, trying to crank that big car down there to the station. The self-starter wouldn't work. Lucky old Cap Edgar is no slouch of a bone-setter."
"Oh, I'm sorry!" cried the girl. "But what about the Nelly G.?" she added, her hands clasped, and looking pleadingly from the lightkeeper to the detective.
The latter appreciated her emotion now. He answered in a much more sympathetic tone than he had used when he was previously at the lighthouse.
"She is still out there, and is not, they tell me, in immediate danger. If the gale drops she will be all right."
"But what's happened to her?" demanded Tobias. "Don't they know at the life-saving station?"
"They made out her signals during the day. She lost her rudder, and they can't ship another in these seas."
"Oh, sugar! I should say they couldn't," agreed Tobias.
"She may pull through all right. They think her skipper is hoping to get into Clinkerport."