"
He pulled the door to after the retreating form of the negro, and I
heard the sharp click of the latch, and then his voice, muffled by
intervening wood, ordering the steward aft. There was no appearance of
any lock on the door; probably there was none, as otherwise it would
not have been necessary to post a guard. However, this was clearly no
time to experiment and I was hungry enough to forget all else in the
appetizing fragrance of the meal waiting. I fell to eagerly, convinced
there was a good cook on board, and enjoying every morsel. This did
not look as though I was destined to suffer, and merely being confined
in these narrow quarters for a few hours was no great hardship.
Probably the girl was receiving very similar treatment, and, as soon as
the _Sea Gull_ made whatever port was aimed at, we would both be put
ashore, and left to proceed as we thought best. Indeed, sitting there
alone, under the inspiration of choice food, well cooked, I became
quite cheerful, dismissing altogether from my mind any apprehension
that this attack upon us had any connection with the inheritance of
Philip Henley. These people were lawless enough, without doubt--the
murders already committed were evidence of that--but all they desired
so far as we were personally concerned, was to get us safely out of the
way, where we could no longer interfere with their plans.
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