"How far is it to the mainland?" he asked.
Jim could hardly believe his ears.
"The mainland!" he exclaimed. "A good twenty-five miles."
"Well, we've got to be there before morning."
"You're crazy, man! Twenty-five miles across these waters in the night, with thirteen men in each dory! You'd never make it in the world. You can't do it."
"Well, maybe we can't," retorted the other, impatiently, "but we're going to. There's more ways to kill a cat than by choking her to death with cream."
He walked back to the smaller group, and soon they were in heated, but indistinct, argument. Jim noted that the men with handkerchiefs over their faces seemed now to have no difficulty in bearing their share of the conversation. Captain Sykes, in especial, was almost violent in his gestures.
Presently they seemed to have reached an agreement. The spokesman walked back to Jim and came directly to the point.
"What'll you take to set the crowd of us over on the mainland near Owl's Head before daylight?"
Jim was equally direct.