“You interrupted him before he could complete his work,” said the commander after he had heard the statements of the two. “Doubtless he had overpowered the sentry and had not yet forced the door when O’Moore came along and re-lit the lamp. Then when left alone once more he broke in, extinguished the light and was searching for the papers with the aid of this,” holding up the stump of a tallow candle, “when he was interrupted the second time. He was a daring villain, and another five minutes would have sufficed him.”
Returning to the deck, after re-locking the chest and placing two men under charge of a midshipman to guard the cabin, they found that the boat had returned.
“He’s either got well off or been drowned, sir,” reported the middy in command. “We could see nothing of him.”
“Pipe all hands on deck,” directed John Paul Jones.
The boatswain’s call rang through the ship and soon the crew were assembled. When Blake’s name was called in the roll a man answered:
“Gone ashore, sir, on leave.”
The finish of the roll call showed only one man unaccounted for. That was the Lascar, Siki. When the men had been dismissed, the captain turned to Ethan and said gravely:
“It is just as I expected. It was the Lascar, and the chances are that he is safely ashore at this moment.”
“And making ready to treat us to another surprise, I have no doubt.”
“We shall hear from him again, rest assured. It seems to me that the ride from Nantes to Paris may prove a very eventful one.”