At first, as the four tramped down the tracks toward the station, the prisoner showed no disposition to talk. But gradually his curiosity gained the better of him. He sought information about Professor Bettenridge’s arrest, and then tried to build up a story that would convince his captors he had only been an employee hired on a weekly basis.
“I suppose you know nothing about the Snark either,” Penny observed bitterly. “After Ben Bartell and I pulled you out of the river, you repaid us by stealing his watch.”
To her astonishment, the man reached in his pocket and gave her the timepiece.
“Here,” he said gruffly, “give it back to him. I won’t need it where I’m going.”
“Why did you take the watch when it didn’t belong to you?” Penny pursued the subject. “Especially after Ben risked his life to pull you out of the river.”
“Oh, I don’t know,” the man answered impatiently. “I needed a watch, so I took it. Quit askin’ so many questions.”
“Why were you pushed off the Snark?” Penny demanded, refusing to abandon the subject.
She did not expect Webb to answer the question as he had refused to explain at the time of his rescue. To her surprise, he replied grimly:
“They tried to get rid of me. We had a disagreement over a job they wanted me to pull.”
“What job was that?” Mr. Parker interposed.