"
"All right, Jimmy!" said a voice that I at once recognized as that
of Captain Flett.
"Well, Ericson, my lad," he said, entering the cell and offering me
his hand. "They've not put the hangman's rope round your neck yet,
I see."
Then he added in a more serious tone, "Come, I canna stay with you
long. Let us talk the affair over, and see what's to be done."
"First of all then," I said, "I want to know what it's all about.
Why have they put me in here?"
"What! have they not told you the particulars?"
"No; I know nothing but that old Colin Lothian has been murdered."
"And ye dinna ken who it was that murdered him? Tell me the truth
now."
"I know nothing at all about it," I said.
"Well, then, I'll just tell you all that I know myself, Ericson."
And sitting down beside me on an old box that was in the cell, the
skipper proceeded with his account of the affair, of which the
following is the substance.
On the afternoon following that of the beginning of the snowstorm,
Captain Flett waited for me on the schooner, for he wanted to set
sail again. Every now and then he went up the companion ladder to
look out for me towards the snow-covered town. While thus engaged
he heard the boatswain's whistle sounded on board the revenue
cutter, then lying in the outer bay, and he was admiring the
alertness of the blue jackets as they got the cutter ready for
sailing, when a small boat that he had not noticed came alongside
of the Falcon, and Bailie Duke accosted him.
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