"I don't know just what you are," muttered the young man. "There's
something that looks mighty phony about this, but I haven't got you
sized up just yet."
"I'll go back--go back right now. I supposed I was asking a favor of
a gentleman and a brother officer." He started on his return to the
ladder.
"Go get your stuff," commanded Mayo. "If your business here is all your
own, I don't want to spy on you."
He went back to question the captain of the tug for information in
regard to the Ethel and May.
"She's in Limeport," reported the captain, elbows on his window-sill.
"Came past her in the inner harbor this morning. You've bit off quite a
chunk here, haven't you? We all thought this storm had sluiced her. Made
quite a stir up and down the water-front when old Can-dage blew along
and reported that she had lived it out."
"Reckon some of the panic boys are talking in another key about the
prospects out here, about now, aren't they?"
"Ain't so sure about that, sir," stated the towboat man, loafing into an
easier attitude.
"Isn't there a feeling on shore that we are likely to make good on
this proposition?" There was solicitude in Mayo's voice. He was acutely
anxious. On the sentiment ashore depended Captain Candage's success.
"Can't say that I hear of any!"
"But the talk must--"
"There ain't very much talk--not now. It's generally reckoned that this
packet is a gone goose and folks are talking about something else."
"But she is here--she is upright and fast! She is--"
The towboat man was not enough interested to listen to statements
concerning the Conomo's condition. "Look-a-here, son," he broke in,
"do you think for a minute that this thing wouldn't have been grabbed
up by the real people if there had been any show of a make? I know there
isn't a show!"
"How do you know?" demanded Mayo, with indignation.
"Haven't I been talking with the representative of one of the biggest
salvaging companies on the Atlantic coast? He's there in Limeport
now--was aboard my tug this morning."
"How does he know?"
"Well, he does know. That's his business. And everybody in Limeport
knows what he has said. He hasn't been bashful about expressing his
opinion."
Mayo leaned over the rail, a baleful light in his eyes indicating what
his own opinions regarding this unknown detractor were, just then.