Dunn put his hands in his pockets, and "quarter-decked" his cabin.
"I want to be sure it's Smith—morally sure. How can I be made sure? I'll tell you now what I know about him."
He repeated what Selwyn had said, and told him the story of his having fought a man on Sandridge Pier at Melbourne fifteen years before.
"His name was Smith."
"It fits as neat as a pair of handcuffs," said the chief of police. "I'll think over it and let you know. Stay, sirree, I've got it now. Look here, admiral, now you mark me. This is a scheme. It'll work, or my name's Dennis. I'll have it put about in the right quarter that though there ain't evidence to touch the real man who worked the racket on you, it is known who actually corralled you and shoved you on the California. I'll get the proper man to give it away that a warrant is being made out. And next day I'll have all the runners of all the chief boarding-houses arrested. Do you see?"
"No, I don't," said the admiral.
"Oh, come," cried Cartwright. "The man we don't arrest will be the man who done it."
"Yes, but——"
"Well," said Cartwright, "I understood you didn't particularly hanker to catch the under-strapper."
"Ah," said the admiral, "of course I see. You mean——"