Part 12 (1/2)
”The negro that I allowed on deck came on purpose to drop the note where it would be found,” lad to know that we're remembered by nice people”
”I'd like to have that black boy here for ahis fists
”What for?” Touilty knowledge about the sender”
”That reminds me,” broke in Joe ”Stand close by the motors a few minutes, will you, Hank?”
With that Dawson vanished aft When he came back he announced:
”I've just flashed the wireless word back to Mr Seaton's lawyer about thethe lawyer that it probably shows Dalton, or Lemly, or both, to be in Beaufort And the laas able to send me news, received just after we left”
”What?”
”The schooner, 'Black Betty,' has just been seized, thirty miles down the coast, by United States officers She'll be held until the custoes that the schooner has been used in the sht with her?” asked Toerly
”No such luck,” retorted Joe
”I'd feel better over hearing that Dave Lemly was the prisoner of the United States Govern Halstead ”If he keeps at liberty _he_ is the one who is going to be able to inning to be afraid of that pair, are you?” asked Joe Dawson, looking up
”No, I'm not,” rejoined Tom Halstead, his jaws firmly set ”A man--or a boy, either for that matter--who can be made afraid of other people isn't fit to be trusted with the coh seas
But I'll say thisDalton: For some reason we've been in his way, and are likely to be h with hiot a chance, he wouldn't hesitate to wreck the 'Restless,' or to blow her up For any work of that sort Dave Lemly is undoubtedly his ainst Mr Seaton?” queried Joe
”We can't even guess, for we don't yet know the story that's behind all this mystery and the list of desperate deeds”
”I wonder if Mr Seaton will ever tell us?” pondered Joe
”Not unless he thinks we really need to know”
”But he has already hinted that it's all in a big fight for a fortune,” urged Hank
”Yes, and we can guess that the fight centers in South America, since that is where Clodis was bound for when this business started,”
replied Skipper Tom
”I wonder if there's any chance that our cruise will reach to South Aerly
”Hardly likely,” replied Tom, with a shake of the head ”If there had been even a chance of that, Mr Seaton would have arranged for an option extending beyond the end of thishi ever happens toand going down into theLonely Island, where the ”Restless” was tied up and the hatchways locked securely The boys were not required to reht or day, at the wharf