She had been anchored to north of the break in the reefs and this course would take her diagonally through the break.
Hank, who had bitten off a piece of plug tobacco, stood, working his lantern jaws as he steered. Gulls raced them as they went and the breeze strengthened up, whilst block, spar and cordage creaked to the boost of the waves and the slap of the bow wash. They passed the horn of the northern reef by a short ten yards, the out-going tide and the south-running current foaming round the rocks like destruction gnashing at them. Then, lifting her bowsprit, the _Heart_ took the great sea, dipping and rising again to the steadily marching swell.
Hank held on. The wind was breezing up strong from the southwest and he was keeping her close hauled. A few miles out, with Mexico a cloud on the sea line and the reefs a memory, he spun the wheel and laid her on a due westerly course.
“Then catch hold and keep her as she is.” He stood watching whilst Jake steered.
That individual, despite the shove he had received, seemed to bear no malice. Absolutely unperturbed he stood with his hands on the spokes, chewing, his eye wandering from the binnacle to the luff of the mainsail.
“Whar’s the _Jack_?” he suddenly asked, turning to spit into the starboard scupper.
“What were you doing with that gang?” countered Hank.
“Me! Them guys? Why, you saw what I was doin’, keepin’ ship, whiles they went ashore. What were _you_ doin’ with them?”
“Mean to tell me you don’t know why they went ashore?”
“Me! nuthin’. I’m only a foremast hand, signed on ’cause I was out of a job. I saw you all scatterin’ about on shore, then you comes off and takes the ship—that’s all I know.”
“Look here,” said Hank. “D’you mean to tell me you didn’t put the McGinnis crowd on to us before we left ’Frisco? D’you mean to say you weren’t on the wharf that night when Black Mullins dropped aboard and peeked through the skylight and saw Mr. Candon?”
“Me. Which? Me! N’more than Adam. You’re talkin’ French.”
“Don’t bother with him,” said George. “Come on down below and let’s see what it’s like.”
They left the deck to Jake, still chewing, and came down the companion way to the cabin, where McGinnis and his afterguard had dwelt.