168 THE BOY CAPTAIN.

she replied, with a look which disarmed Ben entirely, and,
without further hesitation, he repeated to her what old
Eliphalet told him.

«And is such a matter nothing more than annoying
to you?” she asked, gravely. “Do you fancy I cannot
understand what the lack of water may mean?”

“ But, really, it will be nothing more serious than our
having to go on short allowance for a while, and the chief
trouble is, that we shall be forced to put into St. Helena,
in order to replenish the supply.”

« Will that mean much detention?”

“It should not be more than a couple of days at the
outside.”

« And you were looking troubled about that?”

“Yes,” Ben replied, hesitatingly.

« And why don’t you also say that it causes you consid-
erable worriment because the Manilamen were seen in the
vicinity of the casks?”

“Do you think there is anything suspicious in that?”
Ben asked, quickly.

“Don’t you?”

“T hardly know what to make of it; but we shall have
an opportunity of finding out if there is any idea of mis-
chief, for the old darkey can keep his eyes on the men
without being suspected of watching.”

“Then you already had suspicions strong enough to
suggest such a thing to him?”

“T thought it would be a good idea to know if there
was anything going on, and I ordered him to report to me