The fact that the sloop belonged in Sea Cove, the village near which,
according to the newspaper report, Barney Mulloy was killed, was a
matter of intense interest, even though the fishermen could in no wise
enlighten them on the subject of Barney's murder. Frank continued to
hope that a breeze would spring up, and that he could induce the
Slocums, by a liberal money offer, to set him and his friends ashore at
the nearest point without delay. In the event of a refusal, the
temptation to take the vessel in himself would have been strong, but he
knew that such a course would hardly do in these modern days. It smacked
too much of piracy. Money was the lever he hoped to use, and when the
breeze came he intended to make the lever sufficiently strong to move
even these placid souls.
But the breeze did not come. The fog seemed to grow thicker and damper.
At length weariness overcame the whole party. Then Inza was left in full
possession of the cuddy, while Hodge and Frank crept into a narrow
sleeping-place forward which Jabez Slocum pointed out to them. As for
the fishermen themselves, they seemed content to stretch out under a
tarpaulin on deck; and the _Sarah Jane_, with lights set to show her
position, though they could not have been seen a dozen feet distant,
rocked sleepily in the fog at the end of her cable.
Pages:
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261
262