"If the lady below were a married woman she would wear a wedding ring," said I.
"Ay," said he, with a knowing look entering his eyes, "but suppose the father had obliged the lady to take her wedding ring off? What more natural, seeing how he was all agin the marriage?"
To this I could return no other answer than a shake of the head. He eyed me with a small air of triumph.
"If there's nothing more to make ye doubt, Mr. Portlack," said he, "than the want of a wedding ring on the lady's finger, I'm for allowing that the Don's yarn's true."
As I had nothing more than suspicion to oppose to his desire to believe in the story, I contented myself with saying: "You will find that I am right, nevertheless. I shall go and get some breakfast, and will relieve you in ten or twelve minutes."
I walked to the main-hatch, but he followed me. "Supposing it as you say, sir," he inquired, "what 'ud be the consequences of the job to us men?"
"Transportation for life."
He muttered something under his breath and then said, "And supposing the lady to be his lawful wife, sir?"
"I am no lawyer," I answered, and dropped through the hatch.