"What in thunder does he see to laugh at?" whispered Bert to Harry in a disgusted tone.
"Wait, we shall find out in good time."
"We should like to be put ashore at Cottage City, if you please," continued Harry, ignoring the captain's merriment, "but if that is too much out of your way, Nantucket will do and we can take the boat home in the morning."
Again the captain went off into a paroxysm of laughter. The peals of loud guffaws grated on the ears of the anxious boys.
"He can't be a bad man at heart," whispered Mason to Harry, "or he wouldn't have taken so much trouble and run so much risk to pick us up after his steamer ran us down."
"No, I don't understand it. I feel as if I were being kidnapped," said Bert.
Presently the captain's fit of humor passed and his face became serious again.
"Boys," he said, "I shall have to ask you to take things as they are and ask no questions. You are my guests. Do not worry."
"But, captain, we must get home," said Mason petulantly.
The man smiled at the speaker.