Part 23 (2/2)
As Drew pa.s.sed the other, the s.h.i.+p lurched and his foot accidentally struck the cane, which flew out of Parmalee's hand. Deprived of the support on which he relied, the latter staggered and almost lost his balance. He saved himself by clutching at the rail. Then he turned about with an angry exclamation.
Drew stooped instantly and picked up the cane, which he held out to Parmalee.
”I'm sorry,” he said. ”It was an awkward accident.”
”Awkward, sure enough,” sneered Parmalee.
”As to it's being an accident----” He paused suggestively.
Drew stepped nearer to him, his eyes blazing.
”What do you mean?” he asked. ”Do you intimate that I did it purposely?”
Parmalee regretted the ungenerous sneer as soon as he spoke. But his blood was up, and before Drew's menacing att.i.tude he would not retract.
”You can put any construction on it that you please,” he flared.
Just then Tyke and the captain came hurrying up.
”Come, come, boys,” said the captain soothingly, ”keep cool.”
”What's the trouble with you two young roosters?” queried Tyke.
They looked a little sheepish.
”Just a little misunderstanding,” muttered Drew.
”I fear it was my fault,” admitted Parmalee. ”Mr. Drew accidentally knocked my cane out of my hand, and I flew off at a tangent and was nasty about it when he apologized.”
”Nothing mor'n that?” said Tyke, with relief. ”You young fire-eaters shouldn't have such hair-trigger tempers.”
”Shake hands now and forget it,” admonished the captain genially.
The young men did so, both being ashamed of having lost control of themselves. But there was no cordiality in the clasp, and Tyke's keen sense divined that something more serious than a trivial happening like the cane incident lay between the two.
Tyke had never seen the French motto: ”_Cherchez la femme_,” and could not have translated it if he had. But he had seen enough of trouble between men, especially young men, to know that in nine cases out of ten a woman was at the bottom of it. He thought instantly of Ruth.
He decided to have a serious talk with Drew at the earliest opportunity. But as he looked about, after the young men had departed, he saw signs of a change in the weather that in a moment drove all other thoughts out of his head. He limped into the cabin companionway to look at the barometer.
”Jumping Jehoshaphat!” he shouted, ”we're going to ketch it sure!
She's down to twenty-nine an' still a-dropping!”
CHAPTER XVII
THE STORM BREAKS
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