"My work can wait. I find from experience that it will keep for quite a long time without shriveling away, though often it gets very stale. Anyhow, after being engaged on the company's business for the most part of last night, I'm entitled to a rest. My partner, of course, doesn't look at things like that. He's going back as fast as he can." Dick hid his annoyance at the hint. It was impossible to prevent the lad from going to Kenwardine's when Clare was there to hear his objections, and he had no doubt that Jake enjoyed his embarrassment. Turning away, he tried to forget the matter by thinking about the coal. Since Kenwardine was at home, it was improbable that he had been at Adexe during the night. If Clare had a part in her father's plots, she might, of course, have made the statement about his getting up with an object, but Dick would not admit this. She had helped the man once, but this was an exception, and she must have yielded to some very strong pressure. For all that, Dick hoped his comrade would not tell Kenwardine much about their trip in the launch. As a matter of fact, Jake handled the subject with some judgment when Kenwardine, who had just finished his breakfast, gave him coffee in the patio. They sat beneath the purple creeper while the sunshine crept down the opposite wall. The air was fresh and the murmur of the surf came languidly across the flat roofs. "Aren't you in town unusually early?" Kenwardine asked. "Well," said Jake with a twinkle, "you see we got here late." "Then Brandon was with you. This makes it obvious that you spent a perfectly sober night." Jake laughed. He liked Kenwardine and meant to stick to him, but although rash and extravagant, he was sometimes shrewd, and admitted that there might perhaps be some ground for Dick's suspicions. 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." "Did you get it? The manager told me something about the tug's engines needing repairs." "We got one scow that broke adrift off the Tajada reef. They had to turn back with the others." "Then perhaps I'd better telephone to find out what they mean to do," Kenwardine suggested. Jake wondered whether he wished to learn if they had already made inquiries, and thought frankness was best. "Brandon called up the wharf as soon as the office was open, but didn't get much information. Something seemed to be wrong with the wire." "I suppose he wanted to know when the coal would leave?" "Yes," said Jake. "But he began by asking if the tug had come back safe, and got no further, because the other fellow couldn't hear." "Why was he anxious about the tug?"