“Oh, that. Why, you’re welcome to it, I guess. It was an old one.”
Then Mr. House took a hand. “Listen, Robbins,” he said. “I’ve been watching this kid’s face, and I don’t believe he’s half the idiot he makes believe. We better take them aboard the Porpoise and put them through a course of sprouts. There’s too much at stake here to miss any chance.... Hey, you, start the engine and let’s be going. Anyhow I’ve done my share of digging for tonight.”
The sailorman started the engine, and we moved out into the black bay. Away off to the left we could see the lights of Nantucket town, and we headed for them. It was a pretty howdy-do. Here we were in a fine mess, being taken aboard the Porpoise, and goodness only knew what was going to happen there. I wasn’t exactly scairt, but I was pretty uneasy, I can tell you. It was getting late and Mr. Browning would start to worry about us. Then I got to thinking, what if the fellow with the catboat went back and told how we had gone ashore? Take it all around, and things were mighty messy.
It’s curious, now, to look back at that night and to see how much happened in just a few hours—and how fast it happened—and how soon it was all over with for that time. But it didn’t seem short while it was going on. I should say not. It seemed like it was a week, and when I looked at the clock just before I crawled into my bunk and saw what time it was, I couldn’t believe it.
Anyhow, we put-putted along until we came to the Porpoise, and Catty and I were marched up the ladder to her deck.
“Down into the cabin,” says Mr. House, and down we went.
The cabin was about as large as ours aboard the Albatross, but, instead of having windows, it had portholes, and somehow, it seemed stuffy and less pleasant. Maybe that was just because we didn’t enjoy being there. That makes a lot of difference.
There was a seat along one side, and Catty and I were told to sit down there. Mr. House and Mr. Robbins drew up chairs and sat down facing us.
“Now,” says Mr. House, “what’s your name?”
“Catty Atkins,” says Catty.