John, or one or other of the boys, was always in the warehouse,
and I have had no opportunity of examining the door and shutters
closely. When the house is sound asleep we will take a lantern and go
down to look at them. I have been thinking that we must let John
Wilkes into this matter; it is too much to bear on my mind by myself.
He is my first mate, you see, and in time of danger, the first mate,
if he is worth anything, is the man the captain relies on for help."
"By all means tell him, then," Cyril said. "I can keep books, but I
have no experience in matters like this, and shall be very glad to
have his opinion and advice."
"There he is--half-past eight. He is as punctual as clockwork."
Cyril ran down and let John in.
"The Captain wants to speak to you," he said, "before you go up to
bed."
John, after carefully bolting the door, followed him upstairs.
"I have got some bad news for you, John. There, light your pipe
again, and sit down. My good dame has gone off to bed, and we have
got the cabin to ourselves."
John touched an imaginary hat and obeyed orders.
"The ship has sprung a bad leak, John. This lad here has found it
out, and it is well he did, for unless he had done so we should have
had her foundering under our feet without so much as suspecting
anything was going wrong."
The sailor took his newly-lighted pipe from between his lips and
stared at the Captain in astonishment.
"Yes, it is hard to believe, mate, but, by the Lord Harry, it is as I
say.
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