"How can he defy you when he knows you can hand him over to the British
authorities?"
"That might be necessary; but I am not sure it is the British authorities
he fears the most."
"Then who is he afraid of?"
"His employers, I imagine," Don Sebastian answered with a curious smile.
"It is understood that they trust nobody and are not very gentle to those
who do not serve them well. Señor Kenwardine knows enough about their
plans to be dangerous, and it looks as if he might fail to carry their
orders out. If we give him too long a warning, he may escape us after
all."
"I don't see how he could escape. You have him corralled when he's under
the British flag."
Don Sebastian shrugged as he indicated the steamer's low iron rail and
the glimmer of foam in the dark below.
"There is one way! If he takes it, we shall learn no more than we know
now."
He left them, and Jake looked at Dick. "It's unthinkable! I can't stand
for it!"
"No," said Dick very quietly; "he mustn't be pushed too far. For all
that, his friends can't be allowed to go on sinking British ships."