"I found him," replied the mate, in a disgusted tone. "But I might as well not have found him."
"Why so?" I inquired, rather amused by the manner of my friend.
"Since I came on board, I have found out something more than I knew before. Last evening, while you were ashore, Cornwood called a boat that was passing, and sent a letter ashore by the boatman," continued Washburn, as much dissatisfied as though he had been personally injured. "Of course that note went to Captain Boomsby."
"How do you know Cornwood sent a letter on shore last night?"
"Buck," called the mate to the deck-hand who was on duty forward.
"On deck, sir," replied Buck, touching his cap to the mate.
"You told me this morning, when you set me ashore, that the pilot sent a letter to the city last night by a boat he hailed."
"Yes, sir; three or four of us were on deck at the time, if there is any doubt about it," replied the deck-hand.
"No doubt at all about it. Did you notice the boatman that took the letter?"
"It was a blacky I have seen a dozen times about the steamer and on the wharf, looking for jobs for that boat-yard," replied Buck. "He was in the barge that brought off the passengers to-day."