Yet why desert a new vessel? By what
means did the crew leave the schooner, since all her small boats
remained?
What was their motive in anchoring the _Minnie B_ in the middle of
the Sargasso?
There appeared to be no easy answer to these questions.
"I don't understand this," said Greer, in answer to Madden's unspoken
perplexity. "Where did the crew go, sir, and how did they go?"
"They might have deserted her for her insurance," suggested Madden
tentatively.
"Then why didn't they scuttle her--besides, a new vessel like this is
worth more than her insurance."
"Maybe it was her cargo. Perhaps they faked it, rated it away above its
value."
"Why she has no cargo, sir. She's riding light as a skiff; I noticed
that as I climbed up."
"Then what is your idea?" inquired the American.
Greer glanced around with a trace of uneasiness. "The crew went by the
board, sir, I'm thinking."
"Overboard--all washed overboard! Why there isn't one chance in a
million of such a thing hap--"
"I didn't say 'washed overboard,' sir," corrected Greer heavily. "I
think they got throwed overboard, one by one, sir."
"One by one!" Madden stared at the solemn faced fellow.
Farnol nodded stolidly. "Just so, sir."
"You mean--?"
"The plague, sir."
"O-oh!" The American stared around the deck with new eyes.
Pages:
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103