Brandon of the Engineers

"Her skipper wouldn't run off his course and lengthen the distance

because the wind was fair."

"No, I don't suppose he would."

"Well," said Dick, "my impression is that he didn't mean to start at all,

and wouldn't have done so if I hadn't turned him out."

Jake laughed. "After all, there's no use in making a mystery out of

nothing. The people offered us the coal, and you don't suspect a dark

plot to stop the works. What would they gain by that?"

"Nothing that I can see. I don't think they meant to stop the works; but

they wanted the coal. It's not at Adexe, and there's no other port the

tug could reach. Where has it gone?"

"It doesn't seem to matter, so long as we get a supply before our stock

runs out."

"Try to look at the thing as I do," Dick insisted with a frown. "I forced

the skipper to go to sea, and as soon as he had a good excuse his

tow-rope parted, besides which the last barge went adrift from the rest.

Her hawser, however, wasn't broken. It was slipped from the craft she was

made fast to. Then, though the tug's engines were out of order, she

steamed to leeward very fast and, I firmly believe, hasn't gone back to

Adexe."

"I expect there's a very simple explanation," Jake replied. "The truth is

you have a rather senseless suspicion of Kenwardine."

"I'll own I don't trust him," Dick answered quietly.

Jake made an impatient gesture. "Let's see if we can get breakfast,

because I'm going to his house afterwards."

"They won't have got up yet."

"It's curious that you don't know more about their habits after living

there. Miss Kenwardine goes out with Lucille before the sun gets hot, and

her father's about as early as you are."

"What does he do in the morning?"

"I haven't inquired, but I've found him in the room he calls his office.

You're misled by the idea that his occupation is gambling."

Dick did not reply, and was silent during breakfast. He understood Jake's

liking for Kenwardine because there was no doubt the man had charm. His

careless, genial air set one at one's ease; he had a pleasant smile, and

a surface frankness that inspired confidence. Dick admitted that if he

had not lost the plans at his house, he would have found it difficult to

suspect him. But Jake was right on one point; Kenwardine might play for

high stakes, but gambling was not his main occupation. He had some more

important business. The theft of the plans, however, offered no clue to

this. Kenwardine was an adventurer and might have thought he could sell

the drawings, but since he had left England shortly afterwards, it was

evident that he was not a regular foreign spy. It was some relief to

think so, and although there was a mystery about the coal, which Dick

meant to fathom if he could, nothing indicated that Kenwardine's trickery

had any political aim.