“Guess you’re right,” assented Bob. “But this man must know our professor, and also have no liking for him, or he wouldn’t have called him such names as he did.”
“We oughtn’t to have stood for that!” said Ned vigorously.
“No,” agreed Jerry. “But it was better to let the thing go as it did. No use having too much of a row. Now let’s go to sleep. I’m tired.”
Next day the Sherman was many miles further out to sea on her homeward-bound voyage. Jerry and his chums inquired for the soldier who had attacked Bob, and learned that he was progressing toward recovery as well as could be expected.
It was the third day out that, as Ned, Bob and Jerry were coming back from the “sick bay,” or hospital, where they had been to call on Meldon, and when they were walking along a dimly-lighted passage, they saw some one approaching them. As the passage was narrow they all squeezed back against the wall to let the person who was nearing them pass. But the latter, at the sight of the three boys, seemed to change his plans.
Instead of passing he turned suddenly, and, with a muttered exclamation, swung back. Not before, however, Jerry had time to notice that he carried a black object under one arm. And as soon as the tall lad observed this Ned exclaimed:
“What’s that funny smell? Isn’t it like a burning fuse?”