Крижаний сфінкс
Chapter XX. “Unmerciful Disaster“
”
“Andwhatconclusiondidyoudrawfromit?”
“Nothing,exceptthatIlookuponthesealing-masterasascoundrelofthedeepestdye,perfectlycapableofworkinginsecretforsomeevilpurposewithwhichhewouldliketoassociateMartinHolt!”
WhatdidHearne’snewattitudemean?WhydidhestrivetogainMartinHolt,oneofthebestofthecrew,asanally?WhydidherecallthescenesoftheGrampus?DidHearneknowmoreofthismatterofDirkPetersandNedHoltthantheothers;thissecretofwhichthehalf-breedandIbelievedourselvestobethesolepossessors?
Thedoubtcausedmeseriousuneasiness.However,ItookgoodcarenottosayanythingofittoDirkPeters.IfhehadforamomentsuspectedthatHearnespokeofwhathappenedonboardtheGrampus,ifhehadheardthattherascal(asHurliguerlycalledhim,andnotwithoutreason)constantlytalkedtoMartinHoltabouthisbrother,Ireallydonotknowwhatwouldhavehappened.
Inshort,whatevertheintentionsofHearnemightbe,itwasdreadfultothinkthatoursailing-master,onwhosefidelityCaptainLenGuyoughttobeabletocount,wasinconspiracywithhim.
Thesealing-mastermusthaveastrongmotiveforactinginthisway.WhatitwasIcouldnotimagine.Althoughthecrewseemedtohaveabandonedeverythoughtofmutiny,astrictwatchwaskept,especiallyonHearne.
Besides,thesituationmustsoonchange,atleastsofarastheschoonerwasconcerned.Twodaysafterwardstheworkwasfinished.
