rybody but the
watchman had gone to bed. He turned in without awakening any of the
others and slept soundly until morning.

Much to his surprise Peter Polk did not come near him that morning, and
our hero was kept so busy at one thing and another that he had little
time to think about the purser and his nefarious doings. As soon as he
got the chance he delivered the letter Mr. Shalley had given him to
Captain Hadley.

The captain read the communication in silence. Then he uttered a low
whistle and looked at Randy thoughtfully.

"I've been suspecting this," he said. "Randy, I believe you are to keep
mum for the present."

"Yes, sir."

"I doubt if he troubles you any more."

"I'll be glad of it."

"Well, get to work, and some time we'll see what we will see," answered
the captain; and there the talk was dropped.

It was a windy and cloudy day, and a majority of the passengers were
glad enough to remain in the cabin during the trip up the river. About
noon it began to thunder and the sky grew very black.

"We are up against a storm now," said Jones to Randy. "We'll have to
take in some of the bunting."

The order was issued, and Randy set to work, with the other deckhands,
to strip the decks. Soon it was raining furiously and all of the
deckhands got pretty wet. All of the passengers had gone inside, so the
decks were practically deserted.

Randy was folding up some bunting when he heard a quick step behind
him. Turning, he saw himself confronted by Peter Polk. The purser's
face was dark and full of hatred.

"Now, Thompson, I want to know what you did last night," snarled the
man.

"I went ashore," answered our hero, as coolly as he could.

"To see Mr. Shalley?"

"Yes, if you must know."

"And you gave him that letter?"

"I did."

"What did he say?"

"He told me to mind my own business."

"What!" For the instant Peter Polk's face took on a pleased look. "So
he really told you that?"

"Yes."

"Humph! I reckon you didn't expect such a reception."

To this remark our hero made no reply.

"Is the old man going to investigate?" went on Peter Polk.

"You had better go and ask him."

"You answer my question, Thompson!"

"I have nothing more to say."

At this the purser grew furious. There were many occasions when his
temper got the better of him and this was one of them. He suddenly
grabbed Randy by the throat, bending him backward over the rail.

"You little cur!" he hissed. "You are try