I thought he was searching for some weapon;
but whatever it was he did not find it. He opened his coat and
still searched.
"Hang it!" he exclaimed, "I must have lost it;" and then he looked
at me accusingly.
Somehow I thought just then of my viking's stone that I had
recovered so strangely, and as I took it from my pocket and assured
myself that it was all safe, I began to wonder how it had come to
be left there at the top of the cliff. How had Thora allowed it to
go out of her keeping? And Thora, where now was she?
Suddenly I felt a warm breath on my face. I turned and saw Tom
Kinlay glaring at me.
"Ah! it is you," he exclaimed; "you've stolen it from me!"
And he made a grab at the stone, which fell from my hand upon the
deck, for the string had been taken from it, and I had consequently
not been able to hang it round my neck. We both scrambled upon the
deck, each eager to secure the talisman. But I managed to push
Kinlay away, and picking up the stone I put it safely in my breast
pocket just as two of the cutter's men came towards us.
"Now, then, youngster," said one of them, taking Tom by the
shoulder, "it's your turn now, my lad;" and he proceeded to adjust
a pair of handcuffs upon Tom's wrists.
At the same time the other sailor came to me and was in the act of
binding me in a similar manner when Lieutenant Fox came forward
from the after deck.
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