"I have," was Kenworth's rejoinder, in a tone which was acid with malignant hatred.
"Have what?"
"Formed such a plan. I've got a scheme to discredit them with the department right from the jump."
"Shoal ahead, sir!"
The voice of the man at the wheel cut in raspingly like a file. Kenworth sprang up. Ned also ventured to steal a look through the port. He saw the shoal the helmsman had drawn attention to, a long daub of yellow stretching on their port bow.
He saw in a flash that there was only one way to save the ship from going aground.
"Stay here," he ordered Herc, and then bounded out of the steering-gear house, colliding with Rankin as he did so.
"What, you here, sir?" exclaimed Rankin with a sickly smile as Ned shoved past him. The Dreadnought Boy, with a sinking sense of dread, guessed somehow that already the conspiracy against him was under way, and that, with the flukes of the anchor not yet dry at the cat-head!
Rankin reeled and staggered as Ned brushed by with scant regard for gentleness. He turned and gazed after the figure of the young officer as he made for the steersman. Kenworth already stood at the man's side.