Brandon of the Engineers

So far, conversation had been easy, and he had satisfactorily accounted

for his passing the wharf, without, he hoped, appearing anxious to do so;

but he had learned nothing yet, although he thought the Spaniard was more

interested in his doings than he looked.

"The collier was leaving as we went by," he resumed. "Trade must be good,

because she seemed to have unloaded a large quantity of coal."

"Sixteen hundred tons," said the manager. "In war time, when freights

advance, it is wise to keep a good stock."

As this was very nearly the quantity Dick had guessed, he noted the man's

frankness, but somehow imagined it was meant to hide something.

"So long as you can sell the stock," he agreed. "War, however, interferes

with trade, and the French line have reduced their sailings, while I

expect the small British tramps won't be so numerous."

"They have nothing to fear in these waters."

"I suppose they haven't, and vessels belonging to neutral countries ought

to be safe," said Dick. "Still, the Spanish company seem to have changed

their sailings, because I thought I saw one of their boats yesterday; but

she was a long way off on the horizon."

He thought the other gave him a keen glance, but as the shutters were

partly closed the light was not good, and the man answered carelessly: "They do not deal with us. Adexe is off their course and no boats so

large can come up to the wharf."

"Well," said Dick, who believed he had admitted enough to disarm any

suspicion the other might have entertained, "doesn't coal that's kept

exposed to the air lose some of its heating properties?"

"It does not suffer much damage. But we will drink a glass of wine, and

then I will show you how we keep our coal."

"Thanks. These things interest me, but I looked into the sheds as I

passed," Dick answered as he drank his wine.

They went out and when they entered the first shed the Spaniard called a

peon and gave him an order Dick did not catch. Then he showed Dick the

cranes, and the trucks that ran along the wharf on rails, and how they

weighed the bags of coal. After a time they went into a shed that was

nearly empty and Dick carefully looked about. Several peons were at work

upon the bags, but Oliva was not there. Dick wondered whether he had been

warned to keep out of sight.

As they went back to the office, his companion looked over the edge of

the wharf and spoke to a seaman on the tug below. Her fires were out and

the hammering that came up through the open skylights indicated that work

was being done in her engine-room. Then one of the workmen seemed to

object to something another said, for Dick heard "No; it must be

tightened. It knocked last night."