“Oh, make believe,” and Jackie was a trifle disappointed.
“Surely. Now here is some nice pineapple to start off with,” and Tom shredded up some canned tongue, put it between two ship biscuits, and passed it to the boy. Jackie laughed as he took it, and soon was eating hungrily.
“Is it good—that pineapple?” asked Tom.
“Fine.”
“Then try some of this nice mooley-cow milk to wash it down with,” suggested our hero, as he passed over a tin cup full of water. “The milkman just left it for you.”
“Oh, Tom!” cried Jackie, “it’s just like a story in a book.”
“And I hope you keep on thinking so,” murmured Joe as he nodded at Abe while they further made fast the canvas shelter.
Mr. Skeel helped himself to some of the food, as did the two sailors when they had finished with their temporary work, and Tom ate also.
“Now, Jackie,” he said, when he had finished, “here is my knife,” and he took it from his pocket. “It got all wet when I had to swim last night, but it will cut yet, and I want you to whittle out some wooden soldiers, and we’ll play a game pretty soon. You just sit here and whittle, and take care not to cut yourself.”
“What are you going to do, Tom?”