Nick Carter was the only person on board the Cherokee who thought of a certain possibility which would attach more importance to the falling off the vessel of the man than its commander had supposed.
“Patsy!” whispered Nick. “Go to Mr. Clayton’s cabin and see if that suit case of his, containing the Reed jewelry, is safe.”
“I can’t see it unless Clayton is there,” objected Patsy.
“Naturally. But he is there. I saw him go down just now. You may tell him I sent you to inquire.”
“Who shall I say? Sykes?”
“Of course. I have no other name on the Cherokee.”
As Patsy Garvan disappeared to obey his chief, although without understanding what it all meant, Nick Carter beckoned to Chick, and the two went down a forward hatch.
“What’s the idea, chief?” asked Chick.
“I want to see that the prisoners are secure, Chick. It has always been difficult to keep John Garrison Rayne behind the bars—except when he is inside the stone walls of a State’s prison—and I have not much faith in the place they have him in on the Cherokee.”
“The same about his man French, I suppose?”