"We're dished," said Ginnell. "Quick, boys, if the stuff's anywhere
it'll be in the old man's cabin, there's no mail room in a packet like
this. If it's not there, we're done."
They found the captain's cabin, they found his papers tossed about, his
cash-box open and empty, and a strong box clamped to the deck by the
bunk in the same condition. They found, to complete the business, an
English sovereign on the floor in a corner.
Ginnell sat down on the edge of the bunk.
"They've got the dollars," said he. "That's why they legged it so
quick and--we let them go. Twenty thousand dollars in gold coin and we
let them go. Tear an' ages! Afther them!" He sprang from the bunk
and dashed through the saloon, followed by the others. On deck they
strained their eyes seaward towards a brown spot on the blue far, far
away to the sou'-west. It was the junk making a soldier's wind of it,
every inch of sail spread. Judging by the distance she had covered,
she must have been making at least eight knots, and the Heart of
Ireland under similar wind conditions was incapable of more than seven.
"No good chasing her," said Blood.
"Not a happorth," replied Ginnell.
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