Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1934-08-31
CHAPTER 8


"How's Jason?" asked Captain Sey-
mour.
"Still soused- drink a distill-
cry dry!" came back Morgan's an
swer.
keep him that way" ordered Sey-
mour.
Morgan said that he hoped the stock
of liquor would hold out and that the
coal would do the same. They did
hold out for another frantic thirty
six hours, and then anchors were drop
ped in a sheltered bay, and the time
had come for breath and back-slap-
pings.
"We've done it," said Seymour and
suddenly sat down in a corner of the
wheelhouse and went to sleep. He
hadn't even energy left for a cheer.
But he'd done the job.
When he awakened he had himself
pulled ashore in a fishing smack and
sent off wire to Burley's reporting
what he had done and directing that
all salvage claims should be held until
he presented himself in person. Then
he left Morgan and Munro aboard
the Bolsover and, with the latter's
crew, headed for home. With him he
took Munro's written statement of
what he had discovered below and
added to it was his own summary of
events, written tersely but as force
fully as the blows of pile-driver.
He showed the Indictment to Thorn
son when the Minotaur was in dock.
"What with this and that there's
enough there to send Creaking along
for a seven year stretch if it's hand
ed over to clever lawyer who can
be trusted" he said.
Thomson read and nodded. "The
firms given me a free hand in this
matter" he mentioned. otis a good
advertisement for them, especially as
it stands, without the trimmings.
They'll be open to take just enough
to reimburse them for coal used and
extra wages. Maybe you'd best see
Creaking yourself and make your own
terms"
"That goes with me-" laughed Sey-
mour. He went straight along to the
office, where Dawn was tapping a
typewriter in the outer room.
give got wedding present, I fan
cy," Seymour said after they'd look
ed at one another for long time.
81 don't need wedding presents now
that I've got you back" she assured
him. She was Analysing him with a
woman's critical glances, afraid that
he might have come to unacklowledged
hurt. He appeared about ten years
older, but was quick to assure her
that nights decent sleep would set
all that right.
"I'd go through it twice again
just to get you looking this way" he
said. IF it hadn't been for you it
would even have been tried even.
didn't know 1 could do things like
this"
"I'd say there's not a thing you
couldn't do" she smiled. "Think Pm
worth it," He convinced her that
she was and the buzzer on her desk
sounded impatiently.
"That's the boss" she said II bet
he wants to know what all this riots
about"
"He's going to know" Seymour
himself opened Creaking's door.
Dawn's boss stared blankly at him.
"Seymour's the name, Seymour of
the Minotaur," the sailor reported him
self, and the ship-owner's face went
somewhat gray. His eyes shifted I'M
easily and he had a trifle of diff
Guilty with his breath for he was a
portly man.
'Well?" he questioned sharply, and
his Adams apple worked like a pump
in a hurry-almost as the Bolsover's
pumps had worked to keep her afloat.
'It's about this job of salvaging
the Bolsover."
''Send in your claim and the insur-
ance will meet it! Is it customary
for shipmasters to trade with owners
on points of that sort ?"
"She was derelict, remember" Sey-
mour warned him. care you as sure
as all that that the underwriters will
meet the claim? I've come in friend
ly sort of way, Mr.. Cracking. Your
ship was in pretty bad shape when
l ran across her, and you can reckon
yourself fortunate in that she's not
down the locker days ago."
whats this-blackmail ?" There
was more than the hint of a snarl in
Colin Creaking's voice when he asked
4hic