“I'm very sorry it was your father,” he said, as he took a seat at the table. “Very.”
“That's why you laughed, I suppose?” said the girl, tossing her head.
“Well, I've had the worst of it,” said the other. “I'd sooner be upset a hundred times than spend a night in that cupboard. However, all's well that ends well.”
“Ah!” said Miss Pilbeam, dolefully, “but is it the end?”
Captain Bligh put down his knife and fork and eyed her uneasily.
“Never mind; don't spoil your breakfast,” said the girl. “I'll tell you afterwards. It's horrid to think, after all my trouble, of your doing two months as well as a night in the cupboard.”
“Beastly,” said the unfortunate, eying her in great concern. “But what's the matter?”
“One can't think of everything,” said Miss Pilbeam, “but, of course, we ought to have thought of the mate getting uneasy when you didn't turn up last night, and going to the police-station with a description of you.”
The skipper started and smote the table with his fist.
“Father's gone down to watch the ship now,” said Miss Pilbeam. “Of course, it's the exact description of the man that assaulted him. Providential he called it.”
“That's the worst of having a fool for a mate,” said the skipper, bitterly. “What business was it of his, I should like to know? What's it got to do with him whether I turn up or not? What does he want to interfere for?”
“It's no good blaming him,” said Miss Pilbeam, thinking deeply, with her chin on her finger. “The thing is, what is to be done? Once father gets his hand on you——”
“I might get off with a fine; I didn't hurt him,” he remarked.
Miss Pilbeam shook her head. “They're very strict in Woodhatch,” she said.
“I was a fool to touch him at all,” said the repentant skipper. “High spirits, that's what it was. High spirits, and being spoken to as if I was a child.”
“The thing is, how are you to escape?” said the girl. “It's no good going out of doors with the police and half the people in Woodhatch all on the look-out for you.”
“If I could only get aboard I should be all right,” muttered the skipper. “I could keep down the fo'-c's'le while the mate took the ship out.”
Miss Pilbeam sat in deep thought. “It's the getting aboard that's the trouble,” she said, slowly. “You'd have to disguise yourself. It would have to be a good disguise, too, to pass my father, I can tell you.”