Her position, when sighted by the Montevideo, has been reported to the Hydrographic Office, and will appear on the next monthly chart.
CHAPTER IV
BRANDON COMES TO A DECISION
The first thought which flashed across Brandon Tarr’s mind as he read the newspaper item quoted in the previous chapter was that the story of the wreck of the Silver Swan, as told by the old sailor, had been totally misleading.
“Why, he lied—point blank—to me!” he exclaimed, “and with this very clipping in his pocket, too.”
He half started along the path as though to pursue the sailor, and then thought better of it.
“He declared that he saw the Swan go down with his own eyes; and here she was afloat on the 13th of March—a month after the wreck. He must have wanted to keep the knowledge of that fact from me. But what for? Ah! those papers!”
With this Brandon dropped back on the rock again and read the newspaper clipping through once more. Then he went over the whole matter in his mind.
What possible object could Caleb Wetherbee have in coming to him and telling him the yarn he had, if there was no foundation for it? There must be some reason for the story, Brandon was sure.
Evidently there had been papers either given into the hands of the mate of the Silver Swan, or obtained by him by dishonest means. These papers must relate to some property of value which had belonged to Anson Tarr, Don’s uncle, and, his cupidity being aroused, the sailor was trying to convert the knowledge contained in them to his own benefit.
There was probably some “hitch” in the documents—something the rascally mate could not understand, but which he thought Brandon could explain. Therefore, his trip to Chopmist from New York to “pump” the captain’s son.