The room was lighted, and the door and windows were half open because the
night was hot. Carelessly glancing in, Dick saw Don Sebastian sitting at
the table with the captain and engineer. This somewhat surprised him, for
the purser transacted the ship's business and, so far as he knew, none of
the other guests had been taken to the captain's room. He felt puzzled
about Don Sebastian, whom he had met once or twice. The fellow had an air
of authority and the smaller officials treated him with respect.
Something in the men's attitude indicated that they were talking
confidentially, and Dick thought he had better go away without attracting
their attention; but just then the captain turned in his chair and looked
out. Dick decided to wait until he looked round again, and next moment
Don Sebastian asked: "Have you plenty coal?"
"I think so," the engineer replied. "The after-bunkers are full, but I'd
have taken a few extra barge-loads here only I didn't want any of the
shore peons to see how much I'd already got."
Dick did not understand this, because coal was somewhat cheaper and the
facilities for shipping it were better at the boat's next port of call,
to which it was only a two-days' run. Then the captain, who turned to Don
Sebastian, remarked: "Making the sailing list prominent was a happy thought, and it was lucky
your friends backed us up well by their speeches. You saw how I took
advantage of the lead they gave me, but I hope we haven't overdone the
thing."
"No," said Don Sebastian thoughtfully; "I imagine nobody suspects
anything yet."
"Perhaps you had better clear the ship soon, sir," said the engineer.
"Steam's nearly up and it takes some coal----"
The room door slipped off its hook and swung wide open as the vessel
rolled, and Dick, who could not withdraw unnoticed, decided to light his
cigarette in order that the others might see that they were not alone. As
he struck the match the captain got up.
"Who's that?" he asked.
"One of the foreign passengers, I expect; the mates can't keep them off
this deck," the engineer replied. "I don't suppose the fellow knows
English, but shall I send him down?"
"I think not. It might look as if we were afraid of being overheard."
Dick held the match to his cigarette for a moment or two before he threw
it away, and as he walked past noted that Don Sebastian had come out on
deck. Indeed, he thought the man had seen his face and was satisfied,
because he turned back into the room. Dick went down a ladder to the deck
below, where he stopped and thought over what he had heard. It was plain
that some precautions had been taken against the risk of capture, but he
could not understand why Don Sebastian had been told about them.