"I'm now employed on a barge, sir. We left Wapping late Monday afternoon, and made fast at Whitstable at first light on Tuesday. I caught the first train, and met no one on my way through the harbour that morning."
A low angry growl of disbelief began to rise; Duncan's light eyes flashed angrily, and he rapped the table sharply: "Gentlemen, as your Chairman said a while ago; you're grown men. Do you not see that these are statements that can be, and will be, checked? Is not that better than a lot of muttering and shouting? There's nothing impossible in what the lad says."
He was about to go on when there was a tap on the door, and a uniformed messenger entered, carrying a long envelope. "For Mr Duncan, sir," he said to the Chairman. "Just delivered, sir."
Duncan examined the envelope before he opened it, and held it up briefly. "Couldn't have come at a better time, gentlemen. I've been expecting these. Copies of the statements made to the Kent police by Smith and his crew. I asked our man to post them to me. If you'll excuse me..." and he opened and began to read attentively.
McTaggart moved in to re-open his attack: "Well, Robbins, even supposing this story of yours is true, which I myself very much doubt, you're still left facing a mighty big question: you knew these fellows had the gold, you mebbe shared a wee bit of it — why did you not inform the police long since?"
"At first, sir, I was out of my mind about the log and the loss of the ship. They were very violent men, and I was in their power. I had to fight to get away."
"Ay. But even then you did not come forward!"
"No, sir. I made a bargain with them when I left — if they let me alone I would keep quiet."
"I see. A fine bargain that was! Typical of Mr Robbins, don't you think, gentlemen? You must have known it was illegal, as well as dishonourable?"
"I know, sir, and I'm prepared to be punished for it. I'm not proud of it. But things seemed very different then — and after all, they did save my life. And whatever lies they may tell—" he pointed to the foolscap sheets which Duncan was reading — "I only had the small amount of gold they forced on me. And I still have most of it, ready to be surrendered."
Duncan must have been half-listening, as well as reading, for he looked up sharply from the paper and said to Jim: "You've misjudged your men, Mr Robbins. In fact, I'd say you owe Smith and Anderson a handsome apology, even. Listen to this now — it's a part of Smith's statement: 'You was asking about a young fellow called Robbins, what we found aboard the hulk. Well, we don't know where he is — no bounds where he might be. And he never joined in the share-out, except we made him take a few sovereigns to keep his trap shut. We're the chaps you want. Only, like I said, we never busted that safe. We just found the gold lying about.' A very curious form of the English tongue they have down there, Mr Robbins, but you could hardly wish for better friends, considering where they are."
A wave of shame swept through Jim as he remembered what he had just thought and said. He was learning very thoroughly the lesson that men, both good and bad, are not always what they seem. Evidently the salvagers had some queer code of honour, and were doing their clumsy best to head off the police from him. "I'm sorry now for what I said, Mr Duncan. Truly sorry. And what they say about the safe is quite true. One of the crew of the Sardis broke that open; he's dead now. His name was Jordan — and he saved my life too."
Duncan looked steadily at him and nodded. McTaggart suddenly leaned back in his chair, looking at Jim with vindictive malice. "Ay, ay, Mr Duncan, this is all very well. Mebbe he's not a thief. But as far as this Company's concerned he's not got much to hope for. He's still guilty of the gravest breaches of discipline. This Company, young man, sets high standards of competence and devotion for its officers."
Jim felt rage and disgust rising to choke his throat. The insufferable meanness and pomposity of the man! He raised his head angrily: "Did that apply to your wife's uncle, Third Mate MacDougall?"
The shot went right home. McTaggart turned a dull yellow instantly; his mouth opened and closed like a fish's. Beads of sweat broke out on his forehead. At last his rage and fear found words: "You wicked, insolent young devil! Have you forgotten where you stand? Do you not see that you might find yourself in dock for manslaughter by criminal negligence? Have you thought of that? It all depends on whether we press charges or not, Mr Robbins."
Again Jim's face was white and drawn; again Duncan came to his rescue. "Mr Chairman, what is the use of this sort of mud-slinging? Besides, I must point out to you that Mr Robbins' evidence will make a great deal of difference to your Company's future, one way or the other."
McTaggart paled again, and gripped his pencil convulsively: "Evidence? What evidence?"
"You will recall that the Court of Inquiry on the loss of the Sardis was rather inconclusive, as there were no officers present to give first-hand evidence about the ship's navigation. After this discovery of such an important witness my Company will naturally ask for the inquiry to be re-opened."
There was a flurry of anxious sidelong looks and whispers among the Directors; McTaggart sat hunched, staring silently ahead. Duncan went inexorably on: "And I must say that there are several features of this affair about which my Company are most dissatisfied: the inadequate provision of lifeboats, the extraordinary conduct of Captain Cameron — which Mr Robbins' story has displayed more clearly — and the fact that MacDougall, whom this young man has just referred to — was dismissed from two previous posts for drunkenness on duty. We've not been idle behind the scenes, you see, Mr Chairman."
If McTaggart looked worried before, he now seemed to have aged ten years in a few moments. He gazed ahead, twisting sweaty hands round his pencil; then he bent his head to the right and held a hasty whispered conference with the Marine Superintendent. Then, to Jim's astonishment, he gave a ghost of a sickly grin down the table at him. "Well, Mr Robbins, it was a bad business, but we're not men to bear grudges. We're willing to let bygones be bygones, and in view of your — eh — honesty in coming forward, we're offering you a post as steward on board the Maeotis — a very fine ship. Of course, the pay is not princely, but we carry a good class of passenger — open-handed with money, you understand..."
Again Jim rose, but this time with a feeUng of sudden triumph. Here was McTaggart, the great McTaggart himself, crawling before him in pitiful fright. "Mr Chairman," he said, his chin now lifted in confidence, "I've now got a job I like with a Captain worth twenty of your Company. Good day to you."
As he turned away there was another hurried conference, and McTaggart half-rose to his feet, fluttering a trembling hand at Jim. His fear was almost pathetic: "Eh, just a moment, Mr Robbins, just a moment! The Superintendent has just reminded me that the Maeotis is short of an Assistant Purser. Now there's a bonny chance for a young man. Better pay than a Second Mate—"
"Mr McTaggart," said Jim, "I've found out a few things about you and this Company today: now, sir, I wouldn't stay to lick your boots if you made me Chairman." He turned and strode out of the door.
A minute later, still boiling with anger and disgust, he was striding down the street away from the office when there were hasty steps behind him, and a hand grasped his elbow. He turned, scowling, for he expected to see a messenger from McTaggart, but the scowl vanished when he saw the smiling face of Duncan.
"Steady on, young man, steady on. It's not a race, is it? If you'll just step round to my office we'll see about some lodgings for you while the inquiry's on. I'm afraid you'll have to stay for a week or more, but I'm sure my Company will see to your expenses. And we'll need to get you a good lawyer too, after what you said to old McTaggart. Man, you did well in there! I liked the way you stood up for yourself. Mind — I'm not defending what you did — but that's all behind you, and you've been punished a hundred times over for it, I'm thinking. And when you look at it fairly — well, most of what happened after you broke the log was just cruel luck. Fate's a tricky thing; most young fellows do daft things some time or another, and nothing comes of it. But with you, all these other things came together on top of your mistake — and there you are. You find yourself attacked by a lot of frightened old lubbers who just want to find someone to blame for their own negligence and greed. But from the look of you, I'm thinking too that you've learnt your lesson now. Next time you'll know what to do. So cheer up, young Jim, and we'll get this unpleasant business over as soon as we can."