Terry and Jim looked toward the strange freighter with interest. It was a shabby-looking boat, with the paint peeling off the sides. It wallowed in the choppy waves about a mile to windward. During the cruise the boys had not seen many freighters and they looked eagerly at this one.
“Wonder where she’s from?” said Jim.
“Haven’t any idea,” Don returned. “Maybe it’s just some old coaler or lumber carrier. Quite a number of the old ships have been turned into carriers. Funny thing, look at those smokestacks.”
“What’s wrong with ’em?” asked Terry.
“There isn’t any smoke coming out of them,” Don said. “I can’t hear its engine running and from here it looks as if there’s nobody on deck. Get out the glasses, will you, Jim?”
Jim went below, to return a few minutes later with a pair of marine glasses. He looked toward the freighter.
“You’re right about the smokestacks,” he said. “And I wonder where the crew is? What kind of a skipper must they have on that ship?”
“He must be a poor one,” Don commented. “Hold the tiller while I take a look.”
Jim took over the tiller and Don looked steadily in the direction of the big ship. After a time he lowered the glass.
“I can’t make out anyone on the bridge,” he said. “Could you?”