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"Then it is curious that he is able to spend so much at Adexe." Dick frowned, for he saw what the other implied. If Kenwardine had to be supplied with money, where did it come from? It was not his business to defend the man and he must do what he could to protect British shipping, but Kenwardine was Clare's father, and he was not going to expose him until he was sure of his guilt.
"No. I could tell you were talking, but that was all. Once you kind of raised your voice and I guess the fellow in front heard something, for it was then he got up and tried to crawl close in." "Just so," Dick agreed and looked at Jake as one of the men lighted a lantern. "He was nearer us than Payne. I thought Adexe would draw him."
Suppose the Adexe coaling station was intended to be something of the nature of a naval base? Munitions and other contraband of war might be quietly sent off with fuel to fighting ships. Richter, the German, had certainly been associated with Kenwardine, who had made an opportunity for telling Jake that they had disagreed.
I don't think they meant to stop the works; but they wanted the coal. It's not at Adexe, and there's no other port the tug could reach. Where has it gone?" "It doesn't seem to matter, so long as we get a supply before our stock runs out." "Try to look at the thing as I do," Dick insisted with a frown.
He was entitled to lose his own money, but he must run no risk of injuring his father's business. However, since Kenwardine had a share in the coaling wharf, he would learn that they had been to Adexe, and to try to hide this would show that they distrusted him. "Our occupation was innocent but rather arduous," he said. "We went to Adexe in the launch to see when our coal was coming."
"It looks as if that boat had stopped discharging, but she must have landed a large quantity of coal." "There's pretty good shelter at Adexe," Jake replied. "In ordinary weather, steamers can come up to the wharf, instead of lying a quarter of a mile off, as they do at Santa Brigida.
Anyway, a big boat would keep well clear of the shore until she passed the Tajada reef." "Then she may be going into Adexe for coal." "That vessel wouldn't float alongside the wharf, and her skipper would sooner fill his bunkers where he'd get passengers and freight." "Well, I expect we'll find her at Santa Brigida when we arrive."
Still, there was no apparent reason why the Spaniard should want to see who had come in, and Jake dismissed the matter. The sure-footed mules, braced hard against the weight of the carriage, slid down a steep descent across slippery stones when Clare, who wondered what would happen if the worn-out harness broke, rode into Adexe.
Something mysterious was going on at Adexe, and perhaps he had been incautious and had shown his suspicions; the Spaniards were subtle.
He began a concise account of the discoveries he had made; showing Kenwardine's association with the German, Richter, and giving particulars about the purchase of the Adexe coaling wharf. Jake leaned forward with his elbows on the table, listening eagerly, while Dick sat motionless.
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