"You run no risk," added Dock, as he wrote with a pencil, on half a sheet of note paper, the letter which Captain Gauley received just before the Caribbee sailed. "Put this in an envelope, direct it to Captain John Gauley, care of E. G. Baines & Co., No. —— Maiden Lane, New York, and put it into the post office. That's all; and here is a hundred dollars."
Constable Cooke took the note and the money. Dock wrote the direction for the letter on a piece of paper. He thrust the whole into his pocket. He had his doubts, as well he might, about the propriety of mailing the letter.
Levi, from the information obtained, was satisfied that the Caribbee was at anchor in one of the secluded inlets below New York, waiting for Dock to join her. It was not likely that she would go to sea without her owner, whose family were on board of her.
"Dock says she will go to Australia, whether he joins her or not," said Mr. Gayles.
"She will not sail till those on board have heard from Dock. We must take care that he does not send any letter or message," added Levi.
"Perhaps it would be better to let him do so, if we could only stop the letter at the post office."
"But we don't know who has charge of the vessel. It is plain that he has a captain on board of her; but he does not sign his name to the letter we found upon Dock," interposed Mr. Watson.
"Don't let him send any letters," persisted Levi. "Then the Caribbee will stay where she is till we find her."
"That is the better way," replied Mr. Watson.
"Perhaps it is," said Mr. Gayles. "But it would do no harm to ask the postmaster to stop any letter to Mat Mogmore, for instance."