If they've nothing to be afraid of, why are they so
anxious to keep us drifting around all night in this fog? Why don't they
help us stop one of those tugs?"
Lord Ivy exploded suddenly.
"Rot!" he exclaimed. "If they're afraid of you, why did they ask you to
go with them?"
"They didn't!" cried Aldrich, truthfully and triumphantly. "They
kidnapped you and Moya because they thought they could square themselves
with _you_. But they didn't want _me!_" The issue had been fairly
stated, and no longer with self-respect could I remain silent.
"We don't want you now!" I said. "Can't you understand," I went on with
as much self-restraint as I could muster, "we are willing and anxious to
explain ourselves to Lord Ivy, or even to you, but we don't want to
explain to the police? My friend thought you and Lord Ivy were crooks,
escaping. You think _we_ are crooks, escaping. You both--"
Aldrich snorted contemptuously.
"That's a likely story!" he cried. "No wonder you don't want to tell
_that_ to the police!"
From the bow came an exclamation, and Lady Moya rose to her feet.
"Phil!" she said, "you bore me!" She picked her way across the thwart
to where Kinney sat at the stroke oar.
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