Brandon of the Engineers

There was, however, no suspicious movement on the saloon-deck, and Jake,

walking to the rail, saw the peons putting the last of the barge's cargo

into the sling. It came up with a rattle of chain, and the barge sheered

off. Somebody gave an order, and there was a bustle on deck. In another

few minutes Kenwardine's last chance of escape would be gone, because a

British ship is British territory, and her captain can enforce his

country's laws.

Jake threw away his cigarette and took out another when the whistle blew

and the windlass began to clank. Although the anchor was coming up, two

boats hung on to the foot of the ladder, and he could not be expected to

see what was going on while he lighted his cigarette. Kenwardine was

clever, and might have waited until the last moment before making his

escape, with the object of leaving his pursuers on board, but if he did

not go now it would be too late. The clank of the windlass stopped, and

Jake, dropping the match when the flame touched his fingers, looked up. A

group of dark figures were busy on the forecastle, and he saw the captain

on the bridge.

"All clear forward, sir!" a hoarse voice cried, and somebody shouted:

"Cast off the boats!"

Then there was a rattle of blocks as the ladder was hoisted in, and the

deck quivered as the engines began to throb. Jake heard the screw slowly

flounder round and the wash beneath the poop as the steamer moved out to

sea, but there was nobody except their colored crews on board the boats

that dropped astern. Kenwardine had had his chance and lost it. He had

been too bold and now must confront his enemies.

Jake went down the ladder and found Dick waiting at the door of the

second-class saloon.

"He's on board," he said. "I'm sorry he is. In fact, I'm not sure I'd

have told you if he'd tried to light out at the last moment."

Dick gave him a dry smile. "I suspect that Don Sebastian didn't trust you

altogether. He left me, and I shouldn't be surprised to learn that he had

found a place where he could watch the gangway without being seen."

A few minutes later, the Spaniard crossed the after well. "Now," he said,

"we must decide when we ought to have our interview with Señor

Kenwardine, and I think we should put it off until just before we land."

"Why?" Jake asked. "It would be much pleasanter to get it over and have

done with it."

"I think not," Don Sebastian answered quietly. "We do not know how Señor

Kenwardine will meet the situation. He is a bold man, and it is possible

that he will defy us."