“Where’s Blueneck?” he said nervously, clutching the other man’s arm.
Joe jerked his thumb over his shoulder to where a little group of men could just be distinguished in the darkness.
Hal gasped with relief and turned to go to them, still keeping his hold on Joe’s arm.
The elder man suffered himself to be dragged after the boy without a murmur. He saw that something had happened but, until Hal volunteered the information, he was not the one to enquire for it.
Hal pushed unceremoniously through the little crowd, still pulling Joe behind him.
“Master Blueneck, will ye come up to the Ship at once?” he said, tapping the Spanish sailor on the shoulder and speaking in a whisper. Something in his tone caused the man to back away from his fellows, and step aside with the boy, and after a few muttered words of conversation the three set off up the lane at a brisk run.
A few seconds later they turned into the Ship yard; the door was still open, and a bright light shone from within the kitchen while all around was dark and very silent.
Running all round the paved yard, which was long and very narrow, was a wider one of beaten earth, and, as the three men turned into the gate, they could just make out the form of a tall woman standing well on their left. She was digging.
Old Gilbot met them in the doorway; he was very excited but quite sober.
On seeing Blueneck, he seized him by the arm and dragged him into the room.