"Only in a general way, sir, that it is made up of ginseng and woolen goods shipped to Canton." Captain Whidden looked at me very sharply indeed. "You are positive that that is all you know?" "Yes, sir--except, in a general way, that the cargo is uncommonly important." The three men exchanged glances, and Roger Hamlin nodded as if to corroborate my reply. "Lathrop," Captain Whidden began again, "I want you to say nothing about this interview after you leave the cabin. It is more important that you hold your peace than you may ever realize--than, I trust, you ever _will_ realize. I am going to ask you to give me your word of honor to that effect." It seemed to me then that I saw Captain Whidden in a new light. We of the younger generation had inclined to belittle him because he continued to follow the sea at an age when more successful men had established their counting-houses or had retired from active business altogether. But twice his mercantile adventures had proved unfortunate, and now, though nearly sixty years old and worth a very comfortable fortune, he refused to leave again for a less familiar occupation the profession by which he had amassed his competence. I noticed that his hair was gray on his temples, and that his weathered face revealed a certain stern sadness. I felt as if suddenly, in spite of my minor importance on board his ship, I had come closer to the straightforward gentleman, the true Joseph Whidden, than in all the years that I had known him, almost intimately, it had seemed at the time, in my father's house. "I promise, sir," I said. He took up a pencil and with the point tapped a piece of paper. "Tell me who of all the men forward absolutely are not influenced by this man Kipping." "The cook," I returned, "and Bill Hayden, and, I think, Neddie Benson. Probably there are a number of others, but only of those three am I absolutely sure." "That's what I want--the men you are absolutely sure of. Hm! The cook, useful but not particularly quick-witted. Hayden, a harmless, negative body. Benson, a gloomy soul if ever there was one. It might be better but--" He looked at Mr. Thomas and smiled. "That is all, Lathrop; you may go now. Just one moment more, though: be cautious, keep your eyes and ears open, and if anything else comes up, communicate with Mr. Hamlin or,--" he hesitated, but finally said it,--"or directly with me." As I went up on deck, I again passed Mr. Falk and again he pretended not to see me. But although he seemed to be intent on the rolling seas to windward, I was very confident that, when I had left the quarter-deck, he turned and looked after me as earnestly as if he hoped to read in my step and carriage everything that had occurred in the cabin. CHAPTER VII THE SAIL WITH A LOZENGE-SHAPED PATCH