“That’s an infamous lie, for I saw Alfred Milburn carry him aboard of this ship when you and your two men were at me. Before I left Boston Mrs. Grey was out of the lunatic asylum and Milburn was forced to disgorge her fortune. He is now in prison for what he did.”
The feelings of Ben Bolt upon hearing this were indescribable.
He realized that the plot had been exposed which made him liable for complicity, and reasoned at once that he had lost all chance of getting the extra $2,500 Milburn offered to pay him for putting the boy out of the way.
Indeed, he now stood a good chance to go to prison for what he had done in the matter.
“Yes,” assented Frank. “All the lies you utter now will not avail you in the least. If I like I can take you away and put you in jail. But I will be easy with you.”
A look of despair crossed the captain’s face.
Frank saw the expression, and began to feel uneasy.
He waited a few moments, and as the captain said nothing, he cried:
“Yesterday this craft was on ther sea. A quarter boat wuz towin’ astarn, ther boy in it, a-paintin’ ther ship. Ther rope must ha’ broke, leavin’ him adrift on ther sea, ‘cause we found ther end of ther broken painter, an’ missed ther quarter boat.”
He was a good reader of character, and realized that Ben Bolt was telling the truth about the matter.
“What time yesterday did this occur?” he asked.
“In ther afternoon, about three o’clock.”
“Two leagues from land, off the mouth of this bay.”
“Huntin’ for a whale one of ther men seen.”
“That settles it. I’m going to look for that boy. If I find that you have committed any crime in this case, I shall run you down and put you in jail.”
He had secretly cut the painter, leaving the boy adrift.
Frank unlocked the door and flung it open, when the captain caught sight of some of his men on deck.
“Shoot that fellow! He tried to kill me!” proceeded Bolt.
He saw the men rushing aft, and not to get caught in a trap, he hastened out upon deck.
One of the men had a pistol, and seeing Frank, fired at him.
The ball chipped a piece out of the side of his jacket, and he at once shot the man down.
A yell arose from the others, and they ran up forward.
Frank rushed to the side and hastened down the ladder.
No sooner had he reached the ground than the rest of the crow came tumbling up from below.