Brandon of the Engineers

He knew enough Castilian to feel sure he had not been mistaken, and the

meaning of what he had heard was plain. A shaft-journal knocks when the

bearings it revolves in have worn or shaken loose, and the machinery must

have been running when the engineer heard the noise. Dick thought it

better to light a cigarette, and was occupied shielding the match with

his hands when the manager turned round. A few minutes later he stated

that as it was a long way to Santa Brigida he must start soon and after

some Spanish compliments the other let him go.

He followed the hill road slowly in a thoughtful mood. The manager had

been frank, but Dick suspected him of trying to show that he had nothing

to hide. Then he imagined that a quantity of coal had been shipped since

the previous day, and if the tug had been at sea at night, she must have

been used for towing lighters. The large vessel he had seen was obviously

a passenger boat, but fast liners could be converted into auxiliary

cruisers. There were, however, so far as he knew, no enemy cruisers in

the neighborhood; indeed, it was supposed that they had been chased off

the seas. Still, there was something mysterious about the matter, and he

meant to watch the coaling company and Kenwardine.