The Harbor of Doubt Part 6

"I thought so. They've got my _Rosan_, too, though I wish mightily now that they hadn't. This feller is the private secretary to the president, an' the other two are clerks or something in the office.

They may have been up to something crooked, and then again they may have just been talkin' things over as young fellers often do when they're interested in their work. Anyway, there's enough in what they said to set you thinkin', I cal'late."

"Yes," said Code slowly and grimly, "it is. I've only known that the island was talking since last night, and now I find St. John's is, too. It's spreading pretty fast, it seems; and I wonder where it will end?" He pondered silently for a while.

"If they sue to recover, what'll you do?" ventured Tanner hesitatingly.

"G.o.d knows!" answered Schofield and laughed bitterly. "I haven't got a thing on earth but the _Charming La.s.s_, an' this year I haven't caught enough fish to pay for my new mains'l. My credit is still good at Bill Boughton's, but that's all."

"But the cottage--"

"That is my mother's, and they could never get that. If they sue and I lose they must take the _La.s.s_, and after they've subtracted the judgment from the sale price I suppose I'll get the rest--maybe enough to buy a second-hand sloop."

"Yes, but that isn't the worst part of it, Code. As soon as they bring suit they will attach the schooner, so that even if the trial doesn't come up for weeks you still can't use her, and will have to sit around idle or go hand-lining in your dory. And you know what that means with winter comin' on."

"I know." He had seen hard winters that had tried the resources of the village to the utmost, but he had never faced one that promised to be like the next.

"Well, what would you advise me to do, captain?"

"Get out!" snapped Tanner. "Get a crew and take the _La.s.s_ to sea.

There's one thing sure, a lawyer can't serve you with a summons or anything else if he has to look for you on the Atlantic Ocean."

Schofield smiled. The remedy called for was heroic, truly; but was it honorable?

"I wonder if they can do that, anyway?" he asked. "After the _May_ was lost the insurance people settled without a complaint. Can they rake up that matter again now?"

"By Jove! That reminds me. Them fellers discussed that very thing; an'

the secretary said that if the law had been broke at the time of the sinkin'--I mean, if the schooner wasn't fit or had been tampered with--that it was within the law. But, o' course, somebody's got to make the complaint."

"That's just it," cried Code, springing up and throwing away the stump of his cigar; "somebody has got to make the complaint! Well, now, from what I can see, somebody's made it. All this talk could not have gone on in the island unless it started from somewhere. And the question is, where?"

They were interrupted by the sound of footsteps. In the darkness the figure of a man appeared approaching the house. A moment later the newcomer stepped on the low veranda, and both men recognized him.

It was Nat Burns.

"Is Nellie here?" he asked without the formality of the usual greetings.

"I cal'late she is, Nat," replied Tanner, rising to his feet. "Wait a minute an' I'll call her."

But he had not reached the door before the girl herself stepped out on the porch. She ran out eagerly, but stopped short when she saw Code in the darkness. Their meeting was obviously reserved.

In the interim Tanner walked to where Schofield stood, silent.

"I cal'late I can give you a pretty good idea where all this trouble started from," he growled in a low tone; but before he could go on Nellie interrupted him.

"Father," she said, coming forward with Nat, "I want to tell you something that we've all been too busy to discuss before this. Nat and I are engaged. He gave me the ring night before last when you were in St. John's. I hope you are pleased, father."

Bijonah Tanner remained silent for a moment, plainly embarra.s.sed by the duty before him. Between most men who follow the sea and their daughters there is much less intimacy than with those who are in other walks of life. Long absences and the feeling that a mother is responsible for her girls are reasons for this; while in the case of boys, who begin to putter round the parental schooner from their earliest youth, a much closer feeling exists. Tanner could not bridge the chasm between himself and his daughter.

"Did you tell your mother?" he asked finally.

"Yes."

"And was she satisfied?"

"Yes, indeed; she was very happy about it, and told me to come right down and tell you."

"Wal, if it suits her it suits me," was the dry conclusion. "I hope you'll be happy. You've got a fine gal there, Nat."

"I know I have, captain," said Burns warmly; "and I'll try to make her happy."

"All right," grunted Bijonah, and sank back into his chair. Between praising one man who saved his youngest boy, and congratulating another who was to marry his eldest girl, Captain Tanner's day had been over full of ceremonial.

Face to face with the inevitable, Code Schofield offered sincere but embarra.s.sed congratulations; and he was secretly glad that, when opportunity offered for him to shake Nat Burns's hand, that young gentleman was busy lighting a cigarette.

The lovers went inside, and Code stood dejectedly, leaning against the railing. Tanner removed his pipe and spat over the railing.

"It's too blamed bad!" he muttered.

"What?" asked Code, almost unconsciously.

"It's too bad, I say. I used to think that mebbe Nellie would like you, Code. I've counted on it consid'able all my life. But it's too late now. Young Burns'll have to be one of the family from now on."

"Thanks, captain," said Schofield with forced cheerfulness. "I had hoped so, too. But that's all past now. By the way, who was it you thought started all this trouble? I'd like to know that."

"One of the family," muttered Tanner, his thoughts still busy. Then, recollecting Schofield's question, he appeared about to speak, hesitated, and at last said:

"Bless my soul and body if I know! No, I wouldn't want to say what I thought, Code. I never was one to run down any man behind his back!"

Code looked in amazement at the old man, but not for long. A moment's thought concerning Tanner's recently acquired relation made his suspicion doubly sure that Nat Burns's name had been on Bijonah's tongue.

He immediately dropped the subject and after a little while took his departure.

CHAPTER VI

THE ISLAND DECIDES

In Freekirk Head, next morning, painted signs nailed to telegraph-poles at intervals along the King's Road as far as Castalia read:

Ma.s.s-MEETING TO-NIGHT ODD FELLOWS HALL 8 O'CLOCK ALL COME

Who had issued this p.r.o.nunciamento, what it signified, and what was the reason for a town meeting n.o.body knew; and as the men trudged down to their dories drawn up on the stony beach near the burned wharfs, discussion was intense.

Finally the fact became known that a half-dozen of the wealthiest and best-educated men in the village, including Squire Hardy and the Rev.

Adelbert Bysshe, rector of the Church of England chapel, had held a secret conclave the night before at the squire's house.