Pagina 58 de 416

"I know." He had seen hard winters that had tried the resources

of the village to the utmost, but he had never faced one that

promised to be like the next.

"Well, what would you advise me to do, captain?"

"Get out!" snapped Tanner. "Get a crew and take the Lass to sea.

There's one thing sure, a lawyer can't serve you with a summons

or anything else if he has to look for you on the Atlantic

Ocean."

Schofield smiled. The remedy called for was heroic, truly; but

was it honorable?

"I wonder if they can do that, anyway?" he asked. "After the May

was lost the insurance people settled without a complaint. Can

they rake up that matter again now?"

"By Jove! That reminds me. Them fellers discussed that very

thing; an' the secretary said that if the law had been broke at

the time of the sinkin'--I mean, if the schooner wasn't fit or

had been tampered with--that it was within the law. But, o'

course, somebody's got to make the complaint."