I hoped she would speak, and thus afford me some excuse for telling
what I had discovered on board the _Sea Gull_, but she sat there in
silence, staring straight ahead into the ceaseless drizzle, her
oilskins gathered tightly. Holding the tiller under my arm I unscrewed
the face of the compass, and made a guess at our position. However,
there was no star, or other mark of guidance, by which I could steer;
only the wind, which apparently shifted in gusts, and I could merely
hold the leaping craft in the course I deemed safest. I doubt if the
eye penetrated twenty feet beyond the boat's rail, but we raced through
the smother in a way that gave me a certain thrill of exultation. At
least we were clear of the _Sea Gull_, and safe enough, unless a storm
arose. With the return of daylight a course could be set for the
coast, which would n't be far away. So I stared into the darkness, and
waited, scarcely bold enough to break the silence.
CHAPTER XXXII
A TALK IN THE NIGHT
I wondered what awaited us ahead in that black mystery of waters; had
they discovered yet our absence on board the _Sea Gull_? If so, what
would Henley do? Knowing that I had rifled his desk, his one thought
upon release would naturally be the recovery of the papers.
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