"Maybe it was rats," suggested another voice, which it was easy to recognize as belonging to Captain Hannock.
"I don"t think so. We have nothing to attract them this trip."
"If I find any of the men down here I"ll flog them," was the captain"s savage comment; and it was easy to see that he meant what he said.
"It would go rough with us if any of them should discover what we were carrying," went on Lowell. "Paving stones and kindling wood!"
"Hush! Some one might hear you!"
The two men came close to where I was crouching. Indeed Lowell"s foot came within a few inches of my arm, and for an instant I did not see how I could avoid being discovered. Then they pa.s.sed on.
"Must have been mistaken, Lowell," said the captain. "Guess you"re getting nervous."
And he gave a low laugh.
"Better be too careful than not careful enough," returned the boatswain, slightly disturbed at the slur. "I don"t want to get caught at this job."
"Neither do I."
"They can send us to prison for it."
"So they can--if they catch us. But I don"t intend they shall."
The two men carried a lantern, and they swung it over their heads, casting the rays as far as possible about them.
I was in a direct line of light, and for a second the captain caught sight of the top of my head as I moved behind the case.
"Ha! what"s that?" he cried. "There"s something behind the box!"
"Where?" asked Lowell.
"There," and Captain Hannock pointed in my direction.
I gave myself up for lost, and wondered what I should do when discovered.
"What was it like?"
"I--I don"t know."
"Let"s look," said the boatswain, and he moved towards me.
In another moment they would be upon me. What was I to do?
CHAPTER XV.
CAPTAIN HANNOCK TRIES TO MAKE TERMS.
A sudden idea sprang into my mind. I would try it. If it failed there would be no harm done.
Captain Hannock"s reference to rats put me in mind of cats; and drawing in my breath, I let off the most unearthly cat cry that has ever pa.s.sed my lips, a cry that astonished even myself.
Both of the men tumbled back in great haste. Then the captain set up a laugh.
"It"s a cat!" he cried. "Some old strayaway from the docks, I suppose."
"Must be a mighty large one," returned Lowell. "Hold the light up till I catch her."
"Nonsense! Suppose I want to get bit and die of hydrophoby?" exclaimed the captain. "Let her stay where she is. She can feed on the rats or starve to death."
And taking the lantern, he moved off towards the other end of the hold.
Somewhat reluctantly Lowell followed him. Then I heard a sound as of a hatch closing, and all became quiet.
I crawled from my hiding-place and made my way with all possible speed to the trap-door. I reached up and knocked upon it softly, and in a moment Dibble opened it from above.
"Quick!" I whispered. "They have been down after me. Let us get on deck, just as if nothing had happened."
Dibble followed my advice. On reaching the deck I found that neither the captain nor Lowell had put in an appearance. I saw Mr. Ranson still at the bow, and immediately went forward to speak to him.
"Well, how did you make out?" he asked anxiously. "You have been a long while."
"I"ve got all the evidence," I returned. "But we must be careful or we shall be discovered. Listen to what I have done."
As quickly as I could I related my adventures down in the hold.
"You have done exceedingly well," he said, and laughed heartily over the ruse I had used to escape detection. "Paving stones and kindling wood!
It is a great swindle indeed."
"I guess we won"t need any more proofs than that," I said.
"No, indeed."
A moment later the captain came on deck followed by Lowell. They gazed sharply about, and I was sure they were counting to see if any of the men were missing, for presently the boatswain entered the forecastle to see if one of the men was not there.
"I will have to leave you now," I said to the lawyer. "We must not excite suspicion."
"You are right," he replied. "I will go into the cabin and take a rest and think over what you have told me. We have as yet plenty of time in which to act."
Ranson left me, and I joined Dibble, who was at work tarring some ropes.
It was not very agreeable work, but for the sake of being near him, and at the same time to please Captain Hannock, I lent a hand, and we spent the remainder of the day together.
"When shall we reach New Bedford?" I asked, as we were going to mess.