“Anything against you?” Eugene quietly put in, as he wrote.

Rather baulked, Mr. Riderhood evasively remarked, with an innocent air, that he believed the t’other Governor had asked him summa’t.

“Ever in trouble?” said Eugene.

“Once.” (Might happen to any man, Mr. Riderhood added incidentally.)

“On suspicion of⁠—”

“Of seaman’s pocket,” said Mr. Riderhood. “Whereby I was in reality the man’s best friend, and tried to take care of him.”

“With the sweat of your brow?” asked Eugene.