Frank, Mr. Temple believed, seemed to have won Matt Murphy’s regard to some extent by his breezy manner. To him, therefore, was delegated the delicate task of sounding Murphy in an effort to learn how strongly he was attached to “Black George.”
“Be careful, however, not to give him any indication of what we have in mind,” warned Mr. Temple. “If you report that you saw any sign in Murphy’s words or manner that we could construe favorably, why then, I’ll have a talk with the man if possible.”
It was Mr. Temple’s thought that he might appeal to the cupidity of Matt Murphy by the offer of a substantial reward and to his fear by letting him know how close upon his leader’s trail were the officers of the government.
Like many well-laid plans, however, this was to come to naught. All that day the barometer acted queerly and Matt Murphy kept the deck. And at nightfall, after a growing mugginess that made it almost unbearably hot below deck, the sky which had been growing steely, as they could see from their cabin portholes, became entirely overcast. Soon the entire patch of sky visible from the portholes was black as ink, and had it not been for the switching on of the lights by a Chinese attendant sent down by Matt Murphy it would have been similarly black in the cabin.
“Isn’t a storm in this part of the ocean at this time of year unusual, Dad?” asked Bob. “I understood never a storm occurred along the California Coast between June and late September.”
“Yes, Bob, it is unusual,” answered his father, occupied in reading a sea story which he had found on a shelf of books in the salon. “Listen. What’s that?”
A sound as of a vast drum being beaten, a drum bigger and more sonorous than anything ever conceived of, suddenly filled the salon. The walls seemed to quiver. So great was the noise, so shattering, that all put their hands to their ears, as if their very eardrums were threatened. The boys and Mr. Temple who were alone, looked at each other in alarm.
The next moment the trawler, which until then had been riding on even keel, heeled far over, so far, indeed, that it seemed as if she could not right herself. Caught off guard the boys were tossed against the doors of their cabins and bruised badly by the impact. Then slowly, like a swimmer coming to the surface after a dive, the ship righted herself only to begin a tossing motion that was frightful.