Part 10 (2/2)
”Please don't bother,” Ben said stiffly. ”We'll get along.”
Though rebuffed, Penny went over to the bedside. Instantly she saw a bruise on the stranger's forehead and a sizeable swollen place.
”Why, he must have struck his head!” she exclaimed, then corrected herself. ”But he didn't strike anything that we saw. Ben, he must have been slugged while aboard the _Snark_!”
The stranger turned so that he looked directly into the girl's clear blue eyes. ”Nuts!” he said emphatically.
”Our guest doesn't seem to care to discuss the little affair,” Ben commented dryly. ”I wonder why? He escaped drowning by only a few breaths.”
”Listen,” said the stranger, hitching up on an elbow. ”You fished me out of the water, but that don't give you no right to put me through the third degree. My business is my business--see!”
”Who are you?” demanded Penny.
She thought he would refuse to answer, but after a moment he said curtly: ”James Webster.”
Both Penny and Ben were certain that the man had given a fict.i.tious name.
”You work aboard the _Snark_?” Ben resumed the questioning.
”No.”
”Then what were you doing there?”
”And why were you pushed overboard?” Penny demanded as the man failed to answer the first question.
”I wasn't pushed,” he said sullenly.
”Then how did you get into the water?” Penny pursued the subject ruthlessly.
”I tripped and fell.”
Penny and Ben looked at each other, and the latter shrugged, indicating that it would do no good to question the man. Determined to keep the truth from them, he would tell only lies.
”You can't expect us to believe that,” Penny said coldly. ”We happened to see you when you went overboard. There was a scuffle. Then the men who threw you in, disappeared. For the life of me, I can't see why you would wish to protect them.”
”There are a lot of things you can't see, sister,” he retorted. ”Now will you go away, and let me sleep?”
”Better go,” Ben urged in a low tone. ”Anyone as savage as this egg, doesn't need a doctor. I'll let him stay here tonight, then send him on his way tomorrow morning.”
”You really think that is best?”
”Yes, I do, Penny. We could call the police, but how far would we get?
This bird would deny he was pushed off the boat, and we would look silly.
We couldn't prove a thing.”
”I suppose you're right,” Penny sighed. ”Well, I hope everything goes well tonight.”
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