"I desire to come aboard you," Weir said. They saw a smile on his face, as he added: "Have I your permission?"
"To you," said Anthony, "there is no objection. You will be welcomed."
Weir waved his hand, still smiling; but when he ordered Blake out of the boat his face was stern enough. After the pirate climbed aboard, Weir was seen standing bold upright before the two; and what he said to them must have cut like a whip, for Blake shrugged and turned away, and Tarrant lowered ill-favoredly.
In a short space Captain Weir stood upon the Rufus Stevens's deck; he bowed to mademoiselle and shook Anthony by the hand.
"A most fortunate meeting," he said. "I've searched these seas for weeks in the hope of finding you."
"Why?" asked Anthony. "And what brought this particular region to your mind? And how did you come in this brig?"
It was a story soon told. The captain had been away,—at Boston—at New York—and there were several other places,—all on the business of the house of Stevens. And when he returned he visited Anthony's lodgings in Sassafras Street; but Anthony had gone. He had been gone for some time. The captain then went to Pump Court; but Tom Horn was absent, also.
"Then," said the captain, "I thought of Christopher Dent, and went to his place, feeling he'd have some news to tell. But he would say little. He seemed to cuddle what he knew up in his mind and was as close-mouthed as a man could be. Yes, you were away from the city. He thought you were very far away. Tom Horn, too, was gone; he fancied Tom was with you, but as to that he was not sure. There was something in his manner that put an edge on my attention; and so," said Captain Weir, with his cold smile, "I questioned him in ways he was not used to, and in a little he let slip the fact that mademoiselle, too, was gone, that you had all taken ship and were venturing somewhere at sea."
"Poor Christopher!" said mademoiselle.
"As honest a soul as ever lived," said Captain Weir, still with the cold smile. "And, having got so far with him, I spoke of my close association with the house of Stevens, of my friendship with your uncle," to Anthony, "of my regard for yourself. I said your problems were mine; anything having to do with the business was for me to know; if an effort were being made that promised help in the firm's difficulties, I should be told. And then he told me."