“Because we have to watch sharp, Harrigan. There are some of the lads we can’t trust too far, and they mustn’t overhear us when we talk.”
“Why, Hovey, they can hear us inside the cabin.”
“She cannot. This is the girl’s cabin, and I saw her go out a while ago.”
“Well, then, what is it you want to know?”
“I’ll tell you, man to man. When you said you were with us last night, I’ve been thinking you might have said it for fear of the lads.”
“Hovey, you’re thick in the head. Didn’t you hear me talk?”
“I did, and I may be thick in the head, but I can’t rest easy till you give me your hand and tell me you’re playin’ straight with us. You were backward at first, Harrigan.”
There was an instant of pause, and then Harrigan answered: “I can’t take your hand, Hovey.”
McTee set his teeth. To have his plans upset when all so far had gone with perfect smoothness was maddening.
“Why not?” asked Hovey sharply.
“It’s just a queer hunch I’ve always had. I don’t like the idea of takin’ any oath. I’m a man of action, Hovey. When the night comes, give me a club, and you’ll see where I stand!”
There was a subdued, purring danger in his voice which made Kate tremble. Evidently it convinced Hovey.
“I guess you’re right, Harrigan. I don’t want to doubt you; God knows we got a need for men like you when the time comes. The other lads think there’ll be nothin’ to it, but I know Henshaw—I know!”
“It’ll be a hard nut to crack. I don’t make any mistake about that,” said Harrigan; “but if we work cool and with a rush, we’ll sweep them off their feet.”
“Now you’re talkin’,” said Hovey. “Speed is the thing we want most. Speed, and no quarter.”
“You’ll need no urging for that. The boys are all set to kill. Have the officers many revolvers?”
“Not many. Salvain has one, and so has Henshaw. I don’t think the rest pack any. Harrigan, I’ve got a weight off my mind, knowing that you’re sure with us. And you’ll get any share of the loot you want to name.”
There was another brief pause.
“I’m easy satisfied,” said Harrigan. “What I want is that the girl who has this cabin—Kate Malone—should be handled with gloves.”
“Ah, there speaks the Irish!”
“I want the care of her to fall to my hands.”
“Aye, you could have ten like her, as far as I’m concerned.”
“Then I’m your man, Hovey. There comes one of the mates. Let’s move on.”
“Right-o, lad.”
Their voices retreated, and after a time McTee looked down at Kate. She was dazed, as if someone had struck her in the face.
“What does it mean, Angus?”
“Wasn’t it plain? Mutiny!”
She struck her hand sharply across her forehead with a little moan.
“I warned you, Kate, that he was capable of anything, but I never dreamed of a proof coming as quickly as this.”
“I can’t believe it; I won’t believe it.”
He shrugged his shoulders.
“Why should I blame him?” he said. “He sees a way to get you. I could almost sink as low as that myself—but not quite—not quite! I know something of mutinies at sea. Have you noticed the fellows who are in this crew?”
“I don’t know—yes—I’m too sick to remember a single face except one scar-faced man.”
“On the whole they’re the roughest lot I’ve ever seen cooped up together. If they should be turned loose, they would make a shambles of this ship—a red shambles, Kate!”
There was not a trace of color in her face. She watched him with a horrified fascination.
“Of course,” he went on easily, “I’ll be the first one to go down. Harrigan would see to that. Well, it would be a worthwhile fight—while I lasted!”
“It can never take place!” she said desperately. “You are forewarned. Tell Captain Henshaw at once, and—”
He raised his hand solemnly.
“You must not do that, Kate. You must promise me not to speak a word on the subject until I have given you leave.”
“I will promise you anything—but why not speak of it at once? I feel as if we were standing over a—a magazine of powder!”
“We are—only worse. But it would be madness to warn Henshaw now. He is unnerved—almost insane. His granddaughter, for whom he had made all his fortune and to whom he is going in the States—”
“Yes, Salvain told me. She is dying; it is pitiful, Angus, but—”
“He must not be told. He would start with the hand of iron, and the first act of violence which he committed would be the touch of fire which would set off this powder magazine. No, we must wait. Perhaps in a little time I may be able to win over one of the mutineers and from him learn all their plans, and then turn the tables on them. But I must first know all the men who are concerned in the uprising. When we do move—shall I spare Harrigan, Kate?”
He tried to ask it frankly, but a devil of malice was in his eyes.
“I don’t know—I can’t think! Angus, what did Dan mean?”
“I warned you of what he was capable,” he said.
She caught his hands, stammering: “You are all that is left to me. You will stand between me and danger, Angus? You will protect me? But wait! I could go to Harrigan. I know that if I plead with him, I can win him away from the mutineers!”
“Kate, you are hysterical! Don’t you see that a man who is capable of planning a wholesale murder in the night would be quite able to lie to you? No, no! Whatever you do, you must promise me not to speak a word of this to anyone, most of all, to Harrigan.”
“I will promise anything—I will do anything. It all rests with you, Angus.”
“And when we strike at the mutineers—if Harrigan falls, will you absolve me of his death, Kate?”
She was terribly moved, standing stiff and straight and helpless like a child about to be punished.
“Angus, for the sake of pity, do not ask me.”
“I must know.”
“Angus,” came her broken voice, “I cannot give up my faith in him.”
His face grew as dark as night, but he laid a gentle hand on her shoulder and said: “Your mind is distraught. You shall have time to think this over; but remember, Kate, we must fight fire with fire, and the time has come when you must choose between us.”
And then, very wisely, he slipped from the room.
CHAPTER 26
On the promenade outside he met Sloan, the wireless operator, on his way to Captain Henshaw’s cabin with a slip of paper in his hand. Sloan winked at him broadly.
“The good news has come, sir,” he grinned. “Take a look at this!”
And McTee eagerly read the typewritten slip.
Beatrice is rallying. Doctors have decided effusion of blood was not hemorrhage. Opinion now very hopeful.
“Will that bring the old boy around for a while?”