CHAPTER XVIII
A Clue to the Culprit
With the call of the Rayolite sounding in his ears, Henry had to leave the nails for later consideration. He swept all the mass of stuff back into his pocket and turned to his key. When he had taken the message, he sent it up to the captain by a sailor. That done, he stripped off the coat and searched it thoroughly. But nothing else of interest was to be found. The coat was one of those dark blue sailor jackets. There were dozens exactly like it on the Iroquois. No name or identifying initials could be found in it. Henry was not really sure whose coat it was. Both Black and Belford had been wearing heavy sweaters. The coat might belong to either. It might even be Mr. Sharp’s coat. Henry had grabbed it out of the wardrobe when his own had got wet, with little thought as to who owned it.
Presently Belford came on duty. “I’m much obliged for the loan of your coat,” said Henry. “I grabbed it and pulled it on yesterday after I got wet, without stopping to ask your permission.”
Belford looked at the coat a moment, then