“Help you do what?” asked Professor Snodgrass, looking up from his occupation of investigating the seaweed.
“Navigate,” answered Bob. “Mr. Judd, this sailor, says he doesn’t know anything about it.”
“Neither do I,” admitted the professor. “But why do we want to navigate? We’re afloat, aren’t we? And we’re comparatively dry now, or will be soon. This bunch of seaweed will keep me occupied for several days, and——”
He paused to look closely at the sailor.
“What did you do with it?” he asked quickly.
“With what?”
“That bug.”
“Well, maybe the poor thing died of fright, or was drowned, sir,” was the answer, given with just the trace of a smile. “I went overboard when you did, sir, and that’s all I know.”
“Too bad,” mused the professor. “But perhaps sometime I may find another on you. At any rate I have this crab, and a most beautiful specimen it is.”
As he spoke he held up a squirming creature, which, as Bob said later, never would have taken a prize, even at a bulldog show.