They could claim that they were only on deck
to smoke, or something like that. To insure punishment, we must have
absolute proof. I thank you young gentlemen. From now on these two shall
be under strict surveillance, and when we reach England I shall inform
the authorities. You have done your duty. I will now be responsible for
these men."
"That relieves us," said Blake. "We shan't stay in England long
ourselves, so if you want our testimony you'd better arrange to have it
taken soon after we land."
"I shall; and thank you! This is terrible!"
The boys realized that, as the captain had said, adequate proof would be
required to cause the arrest and conviction of the two plotters. While
it was morally certain that they had tried to bring about the successful
attack on the French steamer, a court would want undisputed evidence to
pronounce sentence, whether of death or imprisonment.
"I guess we'll have to leave it with the captain," decided Blake. "We
can tell of his borrowing the light, and that we saw him flash it. Of
course he can say we saw only his lighted cigarette, or something like
that, and where would we be?"
"But there was the signal with the white cloth," added Joe.
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