“Oh it’s Ho! for a sailor’s life for me;
When stormy winds do blow!
And waves run high;
Up to the sky;
With mermaids down below!”
“You’re quite a poet,” said Jerry.
“I didn’t make that up,” replied the sailor. “It was a feller with two eyes. I was mate and he was second mate on the Tumbling Turtle.”
The boys felt tired enough to take Sam’s advice. They covered up with blankets on the bunks in the little cabin, and, in spite of the excitement of the day and night, dozed off.
It was daylight when Sam awoke them, and they were just entering the harbor of Harmon Beach.
“I thought you were going to call us at eight bells,” said Bob.
“Four o’clock in the morning’s no time for boys to be getting up,” said Sam. “I hated to disturb you. I’m used to staying up.”
“I must hurry up and let mother know we’re all right,” said Jerry as the boat swung up to the dock. “She’ll be worried.”
The boys found a crowd awaiting their return, though it was but seven o’clock. The rumor of their disappearance in the hunt for the whale had spread all through the summer colony.