Now, Sandy Steele did not care whether Captain West heard him or not. He began to shout to make himself heard.
“Mr. Kennedy, don’t sell your boats!”
“What? What’s that, boy?”
“I said, don’t sell your boats. The ore! My father has discovered big deposits of high-grade ore!”
There was a long silence at the other end. Then Sandy heard Mr. Kennedy say: “Boy, I hope you know what you’re talking about. That’s mighty important news.”
“Oh, I do, sir! My father told me all about it just before we left Two Harbors.”
There was another pause, during which the hammering outside the door became more insistent. Sandy could hear the lock beginning to give.
“That’s very strange, Sandy,” Mr. Kennedy said doubtfully. “I should think I would have heard of it before now.”
“You were supposed to, you were supposed to, sir!” Sandy shouted. “That’s what all that hammering’s about, sir. It’s Captain West trying to break into the radio shack. He doesn’t want you to know!” Sandy caught his breath and went on, “I hate to tell you this, sir, but I’m afraid Captain West has been working for Mr. Chadwick and against you.”
This time, the silence at the other end was so prolonged that Sandy feared he had been disconnected. At last, Mr. Kennedy spoke again, sadly.