“The captain wishes to see you at once.” An orderly had just stepped up to Ned and given the above message. Ned hastened aft at once. Such orders were to be obeyed in a hurry. As he went along the decks he wondered what the import of the summons might be.
“I’ll bet it is something to do with that police business,” he thought to himself uneasily as he quickened his steps.
The captain was seated at his desk writing, when Ned entered and stood bareheaded and upright, respectfully waiting till the captain addressed him. At last Commander Dunham looked up from his desk.
“Well, you got them all, I hear, Strong.”
“Yes, sir.”
[88]
“Excellent work. Any trouble?”
“Nothing to speak of, sir.”
The captain smiled.
“You hardly do yourself justice, Strong. A wireless from the shore has just been placed in my hands highly commending your work. Incidentally, there was a reward of three hundred dollars for the capture of that tea smuggler you trapped on the roof.”
“Three hundred dollars, sir!”
Ned could hardly believe his ears.
“Yes, and from what I hear, you have fully earned it. Of course, you won’t object to taking it?”
“Well hardly, sir.”
“Sit down now and tell me all about your adventures ashore, Strong. I am interested in knowing the details of such a meritorious performance as yours has been.”
Ned, with a very red face, seated himself at his superior’s orders and launched into his story.[89] He mentioned himself as little as he could, but it was impossible for the captain not to read between the lines of Ned’s plain, unembroidered story and recognize him for the plucky, gritty young tar that he was.
He was half through his narration when the orderly entered the cabin.
“Officer of the deck reports a police launch approaching, sir.”
Poor Ned! His heart began to beat thick and fast. He hardly dared to look up. Suppose that some charge should be made against him, how could he face the captain who had just been complimenting him so highly? His embarrassment was not lessened by his knowledge that he actually had no reason to fear anything.
“Report to me when they make fast,” ordered the captain. “Now go on, Strong. You had hidden behind a barrel, I think you were saying.”
Ned went on with his narrative, but he related it haltingly. His mind was on the police launch and what its possible mission might be.
[90]
The orderly came back.
“The launch has made fast, sir. The British Consul and the Chief of Police of San Francisco are on board. They wish to see you.”
“Show them in. You may remain, Strong.”
Ned got to his feet and took up a standing position in a corner of the cabin. In a few minutes the orderly returned with the Chief of Police, a fat, pompous-looking man with a large, straw-colored moustache and goatee, and the British Consul, a tall, sun-burned man with a kindly countenance and affable manner.
After the preliminaries of introduction were over, the Chief of Police plumped out the question that Ned had been dreading to hear.
“You have a man named Strong on board this ship?” he asked.
“Yes, Gunner’s-Mate Strong,” was the rejoinder. “In fact, he is here now.”
The captain waved a hand toward Ned, who swallowed hard and prepared to take calmly[91] whatever was to come. What game was this? The British C............