Part 12 (1/2)
”I am.”
”You are?”
”Yes.”
”How so?”
”Well, I've nothing else to do, and it's very monotonous down here, and I am interested in old sea stories.”
”Is that all?”
”Yes.”
”I could tell you hundreds of them.”
”I am going to get you to do so, but first tell me all about old Jake Canfield.”
CHAPTER VII.
OLD BERWICK'S RECOLLECTIONS--A GOOD REASON FOR A STRANGE DEPOSIT--A GIRL IN THE CASE--EXTRAORDINARY DETECTIVE RESULTS--A NEW ”SHADOW”--GREAT POSSIBILITIES--SURE TO WIN.
”Well, there ain't much to tell. Jake went off in his boat one morning before daylight; he was seen to go off, and that was the last ever seen of him around here, but I've my idea. They say he was drowned, that he was run over by a steamer and went to the bottom, boat and all, but I tell you Jake was too good a sailor to be run down by a big steamer on a clear day. No, no, I never took any stock in that theory, but I never said anything because I rather honored Jake for letting it appear that he was drowned, and thus he saved all the trouble.”
”You have alluded several times to some trouble that Jake had.”
”Yes, he had a heap of trouble--yes, sir, a heap of trouble.”
”How?”
”Jake was a quiet, inoffensive man, neither a fool nor a coward. No, sir, he saved many a man's life in his time at the risk of his own, but he was a man who did not like strife--a very quiet, inoffensive man, but he was no fool, and he knew just what he was about all the time, and don't you forget it. No, sir, he was only averse to war.”
”But you do not tell me what his troubles really were.”
”Oh, lots of men have the same troubles the world over, and it serves them right--yes, it does; but Jake was no fool, he knew what he was about, and don't you forget it.”
The old man managed to avoid telling exactly what old Jake's troubles really were until Jack said:
”I reckon I know now what you mean.”
”About what?”
”About Jake Canfield's troubles.”
”What do you mean?”
”He had trouble with his family.”
”You'll have to guess again.”