10Dick and Plug had been out to get their much delayed dinner. Returning to their room, they ripped open the mattress to make sure that the pearls were safe. Plug was now engaged in sewing up the mattress again, while d**k idly played with the beautiful, gleaming stones that had been the cause of so much trouble. They discussed their future plans.
Said d**k: “I think our best bet would be to make for one of the smaller English ports such as Bristol or Cardiff, and try to stow away aboard an American bound ship. Or perhaps we could sign on as stokers or deck-hands. If they were short of hands, maybe they wouldn’t be too particular about my passport. . . .”
As this moment the front-door bell sounded through the house. Since it was past eleven o’clock, this was unusual enough to cause d**k
