"Do so, and believe me, the boy is not to blame," said the elderly passenger, and withdrew.
As soon as the end of the trip came, and the work on deck was finished, Randy was called to the captain's office.
"Now what have you to say about that smashed trunk, Thompson?"
"I am not to blame, Captain Hadley," answered our hero, and told exactly how the incident had occurred.
"Do you mean to say Mr. Polk tripped you up?"
"He ran into me and made me drop the trunk. If I hadn't dropped the trunk I would have fallen down with the box on the top of me, and gotten hurt."
"This is a strange statement, Thompson. Why should Mr. Polk run into you?"
"He hates me, because through me your family learned how he had treated Mrs. Clare when he helped to settle her husband's affairs."
This threw a new light on the matter and the captain nodded slowly and thoughtfully.
"I did not think this of Mr. Polk."