“Two ladies wish to come aboard and speak to the captain, sir,” replied the boatman, touching his hat in a nautical fashion.
“Very well. Heave to on the starboard side.”
A few minutes later Mollie and Marie were in the captain’s cabin of the San Francisco, and had asked its commander to take them to Guadalupe Island.
“But, ladies,” replied Captain Gordon, a bluff but kind-hearted old gentleman of fifty-five years, “this is rather an unusual request upon the United States navy, and comes from a very unusual source; yes, a very unusual source indeed, but a very charming source, I must confess,” and he bowed gallantly to the two girls.
“I know it, Captain; but the case is one of life or death: I must be in Guadalupe Island at 10 dial to-morrow.” Mollie looked beseechingly at him as she spoke.
“I wish I could accommodate you, ladies; but I fear it is impossible.”
Mollie’s heart almost ceased to throb as she heard these words.
“I am here for dispatches,” continued the captain, “and expect to leave for San Francisco to-morrow morning.”
“But,” pleaded Mollie, “it will only take a half-day to make the run—”
“And a half-day back again,” interrupted the captain, “is a whole day. Why, my children, I might be court-martialed if I were to do this thing.”