Krap: I cannot account for it any other way, sir.

Bernick: Well, tell me as briefly as you can

Krap: I will. You know yourself how slowly the work has gone on
in the yard since we got the new machines and the new
inexperienced hands?

Bernick: Yes, yes.

Krap: But this morning, when I went down there, I noticed that
the repairs to the American boat had made extraordinary progress;
the great hole in the bottom--the rotten patch, you know--

Bernick: Yes, yes--what about it?

Krap: Was completely repaired--to all appearance at any rate,
covered up--looked as good as new. I heard that Aune himself had
been working at it by lantern light the whole night.

Bernick: Yes, yes--well?

Krap: I turned it over in my head for a bit; the hands were away
at their breakfast, so I found an opportunity to have a look
around the boat, both outside and in, without anyone seeing me.
I had a job to get down to the bottom through the cargo, but I
learned the truth. There is something very suspicious going on,
Mr. Bernick.