Watery Grave Read Online Free PDF

some — and make her proud of you.” Then, with an emphatic nod: “I shall see what can be done. But again, I have a question, or perhaps more than one, to ask of you.”
    “I shall answer as well as I can.”
    “I am sure you will.”
    He tapped the table, as if deciding from which angle to attack the problem. Whilst he was thus engaged, Tom gave me an inquiring look, which I answered with a reassuring nod of my head. Then at last Sir John began again at the point where he had left us:
    “It is not a usual thing for a ship such as the Adventure to return from near three years in the Orient and dock at Tower Wharf. Do you know why you have come to London and not to Portsmouth?”
    “But a day ago,” said Tom, “I would have said no. Yet last night a most astonishing bit of news ran through the forecastle —near unbelievable, it was. To wit, sir, that one of our officers. Lieutenant Landon, had been confined to quarters and would stand before a court-martial.”
    “What is the charge against him?”
    “Murder — murder of the captain of the Adventure .”
    Sir John seemed somewhat taken aback at this.” Murder, is it?” said he.” And when did this supposed murder take place?”
    “That is a thing that struck us all as most peculiar, sir. The captain was washed overboard in a Fierce storm more than two years ago. It had gone down as an accidental death until now.”
    “And why not now? What has changed?”
    “Little that we know, except that Lieutenant Hartsell has lodged charges against Lieutenant Landon, an officer well loved by all, a decent man.”
    “And who is Lieutenant Hartsell?”
    “Oh, yes, of course, sorry, sir. He is the first officer o( the Arenture and has been our acting captain.”
    “He is not so well loved by the crew?”
    “Lieutenant Hartsell is not so popular,” said Tom, leaving the impression that he could have said more.
    “I see. Jeremy has told me that upon landing at Tower Wharf, the leave party was addressed by an officer of considerable rank.”
    “That was Admiral Sir Robert Redmond, sir.”
    “And he asked that any who know of this matter might step forward. None did, said Jeremy.”
    “For the good reason, sir, that none of us knows anything of it —or so I believe. There were no rumors at the time of the captain’s death, no sly suspicions whispered. This came to us as if from the blue.”
    Sir John said nothing, merely pushed his glass forward to be filled from the bottle of wine which stood nearest me. I obliged him. He sipped at the glass and waited, almost as if he hoped to hear more from Tom. Yet the young seaman apparently had nothing more to tell.
    “It may interest you, Tom,” said the magistrate at long last, “to know that Sir Robert has written me regarding this matter, asking my opinion in it. Yet he was very parsimonious of details. I find, for instance, talking to you, that a charge of murder is involved here. He alluded simply to a troublesome matter aboard the H.M.S. Adventure that would likely result in a court-martial at which he must preside. He and I are old friends. We were shipmates on the Resolute. As I said, he has asked tor my help. What this will entail I cannot guess, yet as a friend I am bound to give it. Jeremy and I will see him tomorrow afternoon at Tower Hill.”
    “We will, Sir John?” said I, quite amazed.
    “Indeed we will,” said he.” I had neglected to mention it to you, I fear. But you are willing to come?”
    “Certainly, sir —oh, most certainly.”
    Not long afterward, whilst their talk continued I made to clear the table, knowing that if I did not attend to it soon, I should be unable to keep my promise to Lady Fielding. The little wine I had drunk had gone to my head, and while it had not made me drunk, it had made me powerful drowsy.
    I shuffled the dishes out, as well as the near-consumed roast, leaving only the wineglasses before Tom and Sir John. As I made my last trip from the table, the young seaman was