"He's locked himself into his room, sir, and barricaded the door," the new second mate answered swiftly, with a servile smile.
"Humph!" exclaimed Captain Dove. "All right. Weigh anchor at once. Head west for an hour and then due north. You'll be relieved before long. And just bear in mind that we've got to be very careful of coal now; we've no more on board than will take us to Genoa."
Da Costa saluted briskly, and had disappeared before Captain Dove turned and caught sight of Sallie again.
"Get away aft and turn in at once," he called irritably to her. "You'll have to take the bridge by and by, and for a good long spell, too—we've all had a hard time of it ashore while you've been idling on board."
CHAPTER VII
THE WHITE BLACKBIRD
"I could do with a sleep myself!" said Slyne, as he followed the old man toward the mid-ship saloon after Sallie had gone.
"There's no hurry," Captain Dove disagreed. "And—we've Hobson to get rid of first. What the everlasting blazes made you bring him aboard again!"
Slyne darted a grimace of disgust at him.