Page:The Dark Frigate (Hawes).djvu/201

the darkness. The shadows quite concealed his face when he was bent over so far that no light from above could fall on it, but he raised his hand and beckoned to the boatswain in a way there was no mistaking.

In response to the summons of the long forefinger, Phil climbed the ladder to his side.

“You say he hath gone,” the Old One quietly repeated. ‘‘When did he go?”

“I do not know. He kept the deck when I went below for supper.”

“How did he go?”

"Nor do I know that. But three men came into the cabin by way of the gallery while I was there — ”

“Three men, say you? Speak on.” The Old One leaned back and folded his arms, and though he smiled, he listened very carefully to the story the boatswain told.

“And when you came on deck he was gone.” The Old One tapped the rail. “You have book-learning. Can you navigate a ship?”

"I can."

“Yea, it may well be that now we shall have need of such learning. It was an odd day when you and I met beside the road. I shall not soon forget that ranting fool with the book, who was as good as a bear-baiting to while away an afternoon when time hung heavy. Oft ha’ we left him fallen at the crest, in the old days when he dwelt in Bideford, but Jacob saw no sport in it, nor could he abide the fellow.” The Old One looked Phil frankly in the eye and smiled. ‘‘In faith, I had a rare game that day with Martin, whose wits are but a slubbering matter at best. But that’s all done and away with. And Jacob hath gone! Let him go. Betide it