They reached Stourwich soon after midday, and Glover, keeping a wary look out for Wilson, proceeded slowly to the quay with his friend, leaving the latter to walk down and discover the schooner while he went and hired a first-floor room at the "Royal Porpoise," a little bow-windowed tavern facing the harbor.
"That"s the one," said Mr. Tillotson, as he joined his friend upstairs and led him to the window; "that little craft there. See that old chap working with the rest?"
Mr. Glover, who was focussing a pair of cheap field-gla.s.ses on to the schooner, gave a little exclamation of surprise.
"That"s him, sure enough," he said, putting down the gla.s.ses. "Now what are we to do?"
At Tillotson"s suggestion they had some dinner, and Glover fumed the afternoon away, while his friend hung about the quay. After tea his impatience got the better of his caution, and, pulling his hat over his eyes, he went on the quay too. Fifty yards beyond the Seamew he found a post, and leaning against it with his friend, anxiously watched the deck of the schooner.
"There"s three of "em going ash.o.r.e," said Tillotson suddenly. "Look!"
They watched breathlessly as the crew walked slowly off, and, dusk coming on, approached a little closer.
"There"s that fellow Wilson," said Glover, in a whisper. "Don"t look!"
"Well, what"s the use of telling me?" said Tillotson reasonably.
"He"s going ash.o.r.e with another chap," continued Glover excitedly- "the mate, I expect. Now"s your chance. Get him away, and I"ll stand you something handsome-upon my soul I will!"
"What do you call something handsome?" inquired Tillotson, whose pulse was not so feverish as his friend"s.
"Get him safe to London and I"ll stand a fiver," said Glover. "Now go.
I"ll stay here."
Mr. Tillotson, having got matters on a business footing, went, and, carelessly twisting his small moustache, slowly approached the schooner, on the deck of which was a small boy.
"Is Captain Gething aboard, old man?" inquired Mr. Tillotson, in a friendly voice.
"Down the cabin, I b"lieve," said Henry, jerking his thumb.
"I should like to see him," said Mr. Tillotson.
"I"ve got no objection," said Henry.
Charmed with his success, Mr. Tillotson stepped aboard and looked carelessly round.
"He"s an old friend of mine," he said confidentially. "What"s that you"re smoking?"
"s.h.a.g," was the reply.
"Try a cigar," said Mr. Tillotson, producing three in an envelope.
"You"ll find them rather good."
The gratified Henry took one, and, first crackling it against his ear, smelt it knowingly, while Mr. Tillotson, in a leisurely fashion, descended to the cabin.
A tea-tray and an untidy litter of cups and saucers stood on the table, at the end of which sat an old man with his folded hands resting on the table.
"Good-evening," said Mr. Tillotson, pausing at the doorway and peering through the gloom to make sure that there was n.o.body else present. "All alone?"
"All alone," repeated Captain Gething, looking up and wondering who this might be.
"It"s too dark to see you far," said Tillotson, in a mysterious whisper, "but it"s Captain Gething, ain"t it?"
"That"s me," said the Captain uneasily.
"Going to Northfleet?" inquired Mr. Tillotson in another whisper.
"What do you mean?" inquired the captain quickly, as he gripped the edges of the table.
"Are you sure it"ll be all right?" continued Tillotson.
"What do you mean?" repeated the captain from his seat. "Speak plain."
"I mean that you had better bolt," said Tillotson in a hurried whisper.
"There"s a heavy reward out for you, which Captain Wilson wants. You can"t do what you did for nothing, you know."
Captain Gething sat down in his seat again and shaded his face with his hand.
"I"ll go back," he said brokenly. "Wilson told me he was alive, and that it was all a mistake. If he"s lying to me for the price of my old neck, let him have it."
"What about your wife and daughter?" said Tillotson, who was beginning to have a strong disrelish for his task. "I saw in the paper last night that Wilson had got you. He"s gone ash.o.r.e now to make arrangements at the station."
"He had a letter from my daughter this morning, said the old man brokenly.
"He told you it was from her," said Tillotson. "Get your things and come quick."
Excited by the part he was playing, he bent forward and clutched at the old man"s arm. Captain Gething, obedient to the touch, rose, and taking his battered cap from a nail, followed him in silence above.
"We"re going for a drink," said Tillotson to the boy. "We"ll be back in ten minutes."
"All right," said Henry cheerfully; "wish I was going with you."
The other laughed airily, and gaining the quay, set off with the silent old man by his side. At first the captain went listlessly enough, but as he got farther and farther from the ship all the feelings of the hunted animal awoke within him, and he was as eager to escape as Tillotson could have wished.
"Where are we going?" he inquired as they came in sight of the railway station. "I"m not going by train."
"London," said Tillotson. "That"s the most like-ly place to get lost in."
"I"m not going in the train," said the other doggedly.
"Why not?" said Tillotson in surprise.
"When they come back to the ship and find me gone they"ll telegraph to London," said the old man. "I won"t be caught like a rat in a trap."
"What are you going to do, then?" inquired the perplexed Tillotson.
"I don"t know," said the old man. "Walk, I think. It"s dark, and we might get twenty miles away before daybreak."