“Quick, sir,” said Jermyn to the Duke. “We may blow up at any moment.”
“No,” said the Duke, rising leisurely. “Not with these stars. Impossible.”
All the same, the two men followed the captain in pretty quick time. Mr. Jermyn rushed the Duke out by the arm. I was rushing out, too, when I saw the Duke's hat lying on the lockers. I darted at it, for I knew that he would want it, with the result that my heel slipped on a copper nail-head, which had been worn down even with the deck till it was smooth as glass. Down I came, bang, with a jolt which shook me almost sick. I rose up, stupid with the shock, so wretched with the present pain that the fire seemed a little matter to me. Indeed, I did not understand the risk. I did not know how a fire so far forward could affect the cabin.
A couple of minutes must have passed before I picked up the hat from where it lay. As I hurried through the 'tweendecks some slight noise or movement made me turn my head. Looking to my right. I saw the horsey man, the stranger, rummaging quickly in the lockers of the Duke's cabin, As I looked, I saw him snatch up something like a pocketbook or pocket case, with a hasty “Ah” of approval. At the same moment, he saw me watching him.
“Where's Mr. Scott?” he cried, darting out on me. “We may all blow up in another moment.”
“He's on deck,” I said. “Hasn't he gone on deck?”
“On deck?” said the man. “Then on deck with you, too.” He pushed me up the hatch before him. “Quick,” he cried. “Quick. There's Mr. Scott forward. Get him on to the wharf.
He gave me a hasty shove forward, to where the whole company was working in a cloud of smoke, passing buckets from hand to hand. A crowd of Dutchmen had gathered on the wharf. Everybody was shouting. The scene was confused like a bad dream. I caught sight of the pedlar man at the gangway as the stranger thrust me forward. In the twinkling of an eye the stranger passed something to him with the quick thrust known as the thieves' pass. I saw it, for all my confusion. I knew in an instant that he had stolen something. The pedlar person was an accomplice. As likely as not the fire was a diversion. I rushed at the gangway. The pedlar was moving quickly away with his hands in his pockets. It all happened in a moment. As I rushed at the gangway, with some wild notion of stopping the pedlar, the horsey man caught me by the collar.
“What,” he said, in a loud voice. “Trying to desert, are you? You come forward where the danger is.” He ran me forward. He was as strong as a bull.
“Mr. Jermyn,” I cried. “Mr. Jermyn. This man's a thief.”