‘And so his money gone he puts out to sea––
It may happen to you or happen to me.’
And which way did he say he was going?”
“He didn’t say and I didn’t ask, though one of the men with him said something about going to the Grand Banks.”
“Grand Banks, eh? That’s comforting––it isn’t more than a couple of days’ sail from here to the nearest edge of it, and twenty-odd thousand or more square miles of shoal water to hunt over 295 after you get there. Had they taken their bait aboard, did you hear, Miss Luce?”
“Yes, they had. That was yesterday afternoon late. His vessel was leaking then, I heard him say to that nice-looking man––Maurice Blake his name, did you say? A nice name Maurice, isn’t it? Well, he said to Maurice going out the door, ‘Well, we’ll put out and I callate––I don’t know how she’ll get out but out we’ll go to-night.’ ‘The sooner you go the better it will suit me,’ Blake said, and they went off together.”
“And how was Mr. Blake?”
“How do you mean? How did he act? My, I never saw such a man. Wouldn’t open his head all night––wouldn’t drink, but just sat and smoked like your friend there. Anything the matter with him?”
“With Maurice? Oh, in the way of aneurisms? Not that I know of. Oh, yes, he has heart-trouble too, come to think. But I must be getting back to the vessel.”
“So soon?”