The letter was penned, and a few minutes later our hero was on his way back to the boat. Andrew Shalley went in another direction, to hunt up a detective to work on the case.
It must be confessed that Randy felt much lighter in heart. He now knew exactly what kind of a rascal Peter Polk was, and felt that the purser could no longer drag him into trouble.
"He will soon come to the end of his rope, and that will be the last of him," said our hero to himself.
When he arrived at the boat it was very late and everybody but the watchman had gone to bed. He turned in without awakening any of the others and slept soundly until morning.
Much to his surprise Peter Polk did not come near him that morning, and our hero was kept so busy at one thing and another that he had little time to think about the purser and his nefarious doings. As soon as he got the chance he delivered the letter Mr. Shalley had given him to Captain Hadley.
The captain read the communication in silence. Then he uttered a low whistle and looked at Randy thoughtfully.
"I've been suspecting this," he said. "Randy, I believe you are to keep mum for the present."
"Yes, sir."
"I doubt if he troubles you any more."
"I'll be glad of it."