The captain tipped up his cap and scratched the side of his head. "Seems
as if I remember you being at the wheel, Mayo, when that fellow was
unloading some pretty important information on to me."
"I couldn't help hearing, sir."
"So you know he's eloping with a girl?" The old skipper lowered his
voice.
"Yes, sir."
"Did you ever hear of such a cussed, infernal performance? And I have
talked with the girl, and she really doesn't seem to be that sort at
all. She's flighty, you can see that. She has been left to run loose too
much, like a lot of girls in society are running loose nowadays. They
think of a thing that's different, and, biff! they go do it. She is
wishing she hadn't done this. That shows some sense." He studied the
young man. "Do you know anything about this right a captain has to
perform marriage ceremonies?"
"Nothing special."
"It will probably be a good thing for that girl to be married and
settled down. She seems to have picked out Bradish. Mayo, you're one
of my kind, and I want to help you. I'll take a chance on my right to
perform the ceremony. What say if we get Bradish back in here and swap a
marriage for what he can tell us about the Montana business?"
"Captain Downs, a fellow who will put up a job of this kind on a girl,
no matter if she has encouraged him, is a cheap pup," declared Mayo,
promptly and firmly. "I don't want to buy back my papers in any such
fashion."
"Then you don't approve of my marrying them?"
"I haven't any right to tell you what you shall do, sir. I'm talking
merely for myself."
Captain Downs pondered. "If he's her father's right-hand man, he's
probably just as good as most of the land pirates who have been courting
her. If she goes home married, even if it is only marriage on the high
seas, contract between willing persons with witnesses and the master of
the vessel officiating, as I believe it's allowed, she'll have her good
name protected, and that means a lot. I don't know as I have any right
to stand out and block their way, seeing how far it has gone. What do
you think, Mayo?"
"I don't believe I want to make any suggestions, sir."
At that moment the door aft opened. Mayo was near the door of the mate's
stateroom in the shadows, and he dodged back into his retreat. He heard
Bradish's voice.