any letter were sewn within it he
might hear the paper crackle. The sailor's way of folding a waistcoat,
as shown by him then, was just the way which bent all the cloth in
folds. He seemed to be much disgusted at hearing no crackling as he
folded it. I could have laughed outright at his woeful face, had I been
less anxious. Had he been worth his salt as a spy he would have lulled
all my suspicions to sleep before beginning to search for letters.
Instead of that he went to work as crudely as a common footpad..

CHAPTER XIII. IT BREEZES UP

After I had taken off my waistcoat, I went out into the 'tweendecks,
then into the grand cabin, then into the space below the booms. He
followed me everywhere, keeping me under observation, till I was tempted
to tell him where the letters were, so as to have a little peace. At
first he kept telling me stories, or making bad jokes; but very soon
he grew weary of pretending; he became surly. At this point I asked him
which was his cabin. He glowered at me for asking such a question, but
he pointed it out to me. It was a cabin no larger than my own, on
the opposite (that is the port) side of the 'tweendecks. I took the
opportunity (it was a bold stroke, evidently displeasing to him) of
looking in; for to tell the truth I had a suspicion that he slept in the
grand cabin, on the top of the locker. I thought that the stateroom
had another inmate. When I looked into it I expected to find myself in
Aurelia's presence. I did not want to see her; but I wished very eagerly
to know if she were in the ship or not. The stateroom was empty, but the
bunk, which had been slept in, was not yet made up.

I do not know how much longer he would have dogged me about the ship.
To my great joy he was called from me by the mate, who cried down
the hatchway, bidding him come up at once, as there was "something in
sight." Captain Barlow evidently wanted me to come on deck with him;
but I was resolute. I said I would stop below to have another try at his
stories. He went on deck surlily, saying something about "You wait,"
or "You whelp," I could not catch his exact words. He turned at the
hatchway to see where I had gone. I had expected this move, so when
he looked, he saw me entering the grand cabin, just as I had said. I
watched him through the crack in the hinge; for I fully expected him to
return suddenly. As he did not return on the instant, I darted into my
own cabin just long enough to drop the lette