I looked at the man in wonder.
“Have you no suspicion at all of what she would be at?”
“To see Sir Nicholas Malby—as she said; I know no more.”
In the circumstances there was nothing left me to do but to wait and wonder, to wonder and to wait.
What interpretation was I to put on this extraordinary, this rash act of Eva’s? Did she think she would be able to bribe Sir Nicholas? Was that her idea? Or did she have some other plan?
But all these surmises were powerless to console me; and it was with a gladness of heart to which I had long been a stranger that I saw The Grey Wolf come up alongside of us in the afternoon.
And who was that who stood by the side of my dear on the poop-deck? Richard Burke was with me, and I cried to him to look.
“Who is that?” asked I, astounded, doubting if my eyes did not juggle with me.
“You may well ask,” said he. “Some miracle must have come to pass!”
“Then ’tis he!” I cried.