“Yes, let’s do that!” added Ned. “We started to, but got off the track.”
Jerry considered the matter a moment. Then he said:
“I guess we might as well. We’ll want to know where he is, anyhow, in case of accident, so we can look after him. Let’s go!”
On board the transport the same sort of military rules and regulations that existed in camp or on the battlefield did not hold good. There was more freedom and ease in going about and in making inquiries, and the Motor Boys proceeded to take advantage of this.
Their first inquiries, however, of some of the ship’s officers resulted in disappointment. No one seemed to know Professor Snodgrass. They admitted that there were several civilians on board the transport, but were not aware of their names.
Some said they had seen a man resembling the description given of Professor Snodgrass, but when pressed for details they described the individual the boys had dubbed “le cochon,” and the Motor Boys did not want to meet him again.
They even made their way to the passage where the marines had been on sentry duty in front of the mysterious cabin, and, somewhat to their surprise, found the men on guard. They were not the same men they had seen at first, but two burly soldiers who gruffly bade the boys:
“Move on!”
“This certainly is queer,” declared Bob, when they were out of earshot of the two marines. “One time they have a guard there, and another time they don’t.”