The great detective, on his part, also stepped ashore.

They stood and faced each other in the moonlight, silently, and their followers, also in silence, gathered in the bows of the respective vessels and watched them.
Finally, Cleggett, with one hand on his hip, and standing with his feet wide apart, said very incisively: "Sir, the Jasper B.is NOT a canal boat." "Eh ?" Wilton Barnstable started at the emphasis.
"The Jasper B.," pursued Cleggett, staring steadily at Wilton Barnstable, "is a schooner." "Ah!" said the other.

"Indeed ?" "A schooner," repeated Cleggett, "indeed, sir! Indeed, sir, a schooner!" There was another silence, in which neither man would look aside; they held each other with their eyes; the nervous strain communicated itself to the crews of the two vessels.

At last, however, the detective, although he did not lower his gaze, and although he strove to give his new attitude an effect of ease and jauntiness by twisting the end of his mustache as he spoke, said to Cleggett: "A schooner, then, Mr.Cleggett, a schooner! No offense, I hope ?" "None at all," said Cleggett, heartily enough, now that the point had been established.

And the tension relaxed on both ships.
"You have lost an oblong box, Mr.Cleggett." The great detective affirmed it rather than interrogated.
"How did you know that ?" The other laughed.