Part 3 (1/2)
”Not only that, but Mr. Seaton, the gentleman who has our boat in charter, has very urgently ordered us to bring Mr. Clodis ash.o.r.e; also his baggage complete, and any and all papers that he may have brought aboard.”
”You have a comfortable berth on your boat?”
”Several of them,” Tom answered.
”Then I'll have some of my men make the transfer at once. Our s.h.i.+p's surgeon, Dr. Burke, will also go over the side and see that Mr. Clodis is made as comfortable as possible for his trip ash.o.r.e.”
”Steward b.u.t.ts will show your men to the port stateroom, aft, sir.”
A mate hurried away to give the order to Dr. Burke. A boatswain was directed to attend to having all of Mr. Clodis's baggage go over the side.
”Come to my stateroom, sir, if you please,” requested Captain Hampton, and Tom followed.
”When you take a man with a fractured skull ash.o.r.e, the authorities may want some explanation,” declared the 'Constant's' sailing master, opening his desk. ”Here is a statement, therefore, that I have prepared and signed. Take it with you, Captain----”
”Halstead,” supplied Tom.
The motor boat boy glanced hurriedly through the doc.u.ment.
”I see you state it was an accident, Captain Hampton,” went on Halstead, lowering his voice. ”Our charter-man, Mr. Seaton, intimated that he believed it might have been a deliberate a.s.sault. Have you anything that you wish to say on this point, sir?”
”I don't believe it was an a.s.sault,” replied the s.h.i.+p's master, musingly. Halstead's quick eye noted that Hampton appeared to be a st.u.r.dy, honest sea-dog. ”Still, Captain Halstead, if you would like to question the steward who found Mr. Clodis at the foot of the main saloon companionway----”
”Have you made the investigation thoroughly, sir?”
”I think so--yes.”
”Then nothing is likely to be gained, Captain, by my asking any questions of a steward you have already questioned.”
The mate came back to report that Mr. Clodis had been carried over the side, and that his baggage had been taken aboard the ”Restless.”
”I know you don't want a liner held up,” Tom went on, slipping Captain Hampton's report of the accident into his pocket. ”I'll go over the side, sir, as soon as you can ascertain whether Mr. Clodis had any papers that ought to be sent ash.o.r.e with him.”
”There are none in the injured man's pockets,” replied the steams.h.i.+p's sailing master, ”and none were deposited with the purser. So, if there are any papers, they must be in Mr. Clodis's trunk or bag.”
”Thank you, sir. Then I'll bid you good-bye and hurry over the side,”
said Halstead, energetically.
As they stepped out of the stateroom a pa.s.senger who had been lingering near stepped up.
”Oh, one moment,” said Captain Hampton, suddenly. ”Captain Halstead, this gentleman is Mr. Arthur Hilton. Since leaving New York he has received some wireless news that makes him anxious to return. He wants to go ash.o.r.e with you.”
Arthur Hilton had stepped forward, holding out his hand, which Tom took in his own. Mr. Hilton was a man of about thirty, smooth-faced, with firm set jaws. Though evidently not a Spaniard, he had the complexion usual to that race. His dark eyes were keen and sharp, though they had a rather pleasant look in them. He was slender, perhaps five feet eight inches tall, and, although his waist and legs were thin, he had broad, rather powerful looking shoulders.
”You can set me ash.o.r.e, can't you, young man, for a ten-dollar bill?”
inquired Hilton.
”Certainly, if Captain Hampton knows no reason why you shouldn't leave the vessel,” Tom answered.
”Mr. Hilton has surrendered his pa.s.sage ticket, and there is nothing to detain him aboard,” replied the steams.h.i.+p's master.