“Do you believe it was Mr. Barney’s fault?” I whispered.
He started and looked around at me. I repeated my question.
“Was it Jim Barney’s fault?” he returned. “What do you think?”
“I don’t believe it. He sheered off——”
“Too late,” muttered Mr. Gates.
“Just as soon as the captain ordered him to,” I declared eagerly. “When Captain Bowditch ordered him to ‘Keep off’ he swung her over. I saw him.”
“It was too late then, I tell you,” declared the first mate of the Gullwing.
“But how about Mr. Alf Barney?” I cried. “He held on to the course all the time till she hit us.”
Mr. Gates said nothing.
“If it was anybody’s fault it was Mr. Alf Barney’s,” I repeated, stubbornly.