“All in good time,” rejoined the captain, rising. “Now come out with me on deck and I’ll introduce you to my officers. They’re a fine lot of men. You’ve already met Ensign Porter, but I want you to meet the others.”
They followed the captain to where the first officer was standing.
“Lieutenant Milton,” said the captain, “I want you to meet these young men that we brought aboard from the small boat last night. I didn’t know until a short time ago that they were the same who saved my life some time ago.”
“When you were caught in that overturned auto?” asked the lieutenant, with quickened interest, as he acknowledged the introduction.
“The same,” replied the captain. “And boys don’t come any finer! They’ll go with us on this trip, and they’re to have the run of the ship.”
They talked for a few moments and were about to pass on, when the young ensign, Porter, came up hurriedly and saluted.
“Vessel lying to leeward, Captain,” he said, as he handed over a pair of glasses. “Low in the water and seems to be abandoned.”
The captain seized the glasses and focused them on what seemed to the boys a little speck, scarcely visible in the distance.
CHAPTER XIII
THE DERELICT
The inspection of the distant craft by Captain Springer was long and attentive, and the boys watched him breathlessly.