"After a time Ed Gurney left me to go on the night watch, and I was standing by the rail, figuring how I was going to get back to the Hattie, when Durks comes looking for me.
"'Of course,' says Durks, 'you had no idea of it, but I organized this expedition as much to get Johnnie Sing out of the way and separate him from his wife as to smuggle in the cargo of hemp.'
"'The duty on hemp,' I interrupts, 'must be very high, Mr. Durks.'
"'What? It is—yes,' he says.
"'And how much is the duty on hemp?' I asks.
"And he don't know. 'Hemp, humph!' I says, 'how much is the duty on—?' and I stops.
"'On what?' he says.
"'On whatever's in those bales?' I answers.
"'Why, what is the duty?' he asks.
"Maybe there's no duty—maybe it's against the law to bring it in, no matter what the duty,' I answers.