CHAPTER VII—THE CAPTAIN OF THE “RAJAH” STRIKES OIL
THE captain strode gloomily to the evil-smelling den he called the cabin, and Stranleigh went down the steps with him, seating himself at the table.
“Now, captain,” he began, “can we be overheard?”
“No, sir.”
“Well, I come here as your friend. I want to save you, if possible.”
“Save me?”
“Yes.”
“I don’t need any saving.”
“Yes, you do, and a good deal of it. I thought at first that Frowningshield was the sole culprit, and that you were merely an innocent victim. I learned to-day that such was not the case; in fact, I surmised it before, because when you assisted in planting those mines across the Paramakaboo River you must have known you were committing a capital offense.”
“Then it wasn’t an accident; you did send down the logs?”