He was a good reader of character, and realized that Ben Bolt was telling the truth about the matter.
“What time yesterday did this occur?” he asked.
“In ther afternoon, about three o’clock.”
“Where was this ship?”
“Two leagues from land, off the mouth of this bay.”
“What doing?”
“Huntin’ for a whale one of ther men seen.”
“That settles it. I’m going to look for that boy. If I find that you have committed any crime in this case, I shall run you down and put you in jail.”
The captain was silent.
He had secretly cut the painter, leaving the boy adrift.