Harry deliberated whether he should impart to any one the information he had obtained. Tom Patch was an honest fellow and a good friend, but he was an illiterate sailor, and, though he could give sympathy, his advice would be of little service. Mr. Weldon, on the other hand, had not only shown himself a friend, but he was a gentleman of education and judgment. Harry felt that he would be a safe counsellor. Accordingly, one day when a good opportunity offered, he related to the supercargo the discovery he had made, with enough of his home life to make the account intelligible.
The young man listened in surprise.
“This is a strange story, Harry,” he said.
“Yes, sir, it is strange,” said our hero. “I could not have believed that Squire Turner would have treated me so meanly.”
“Your having seen him set fire to his house makes it less strange. He could not draw the insurance money if you chose to interfere.”
“I should have interfered,” said Harry, promptly.
“You would have been right in doing so. It appears, then, that he was interested to the amount of two thousand dollars in getting you out of the way.”
“Yes, sir,” said our hero; “but there is one thing I can’t understand.”
“What is it?”
“He must have known that I would come back from the voyage, and that I should learn whether he had drawn the money. It would not be too late then to expose him.”