“Captain Streitwetter. He’s a German from Germanville. Did you hear him mention Billy Hochswatter’s mud-turtle?”
“Yes,” said Bart. “What did he mean?”
“That is a story,” replied Captain Wiggs gravely, “which can only be told after the dinner dishes are washed. You’d better look after them,” and with that he walked away.
“There he goes again!” exclaimed Frank. “You never know what he is going to say. I believe he’s stringing us.”
“I almost know it,” retorted Fenn. “It’s only a way he has, but the trouble is we don’t know whether or not he wants us to do the things he says. I wonder if we had better do anything about the dishes?”
“Of course not,” said Frank. “The cook sees to that.”
“But maybe the cook is sick,” insisted Fenn. “Captain Wiggs might want us to help.”
“If I thought so I’d offer at once,” put in Ned. “I used to do it at home, once in a while, to help out.”
“I’ll go ask him,” volunteered Fenn, and he started to find Captain Wiggs, when he was halted by seeing the commander step from behind a pile of boxes. The captain was laughing heartily.
“That’s the time I had you guessing; didn’t I?” he demanded. “Wash the dishes. Ha! Ha! Ho! Ho! That’s pretty good!”