“We can try,” Willie insisted. “Come on! Anything’s better than just standing around.”
The others followed willingly enough. By means of Jack’s Spanish and a dollar from Ken, they were able to persuade the fisherman to take them out to the Shark.
As the craft came alongside, Jack loudly hailed the vessel. At first there was no answer. Finally, a lone sailor thrust his head over the railing to peer suspiciously down at the visitors.
In Spanish he demanded to know what they wanted.
Jack asked for Captain Carter, only to be told that he was not aboard.
“I can’t make out all he’s saying,” the Scout crew leader reported to his chums. “I gather though, that he’s alone. The others must have been given shore leave.”
“Let’s go aboard,” War urged.
Before the others could deter him, he seized a rope, and went up hand over hand. Oblivious to a torrent of Spanish which poured from the lips of the Shark’s watch, he then lowered a ladder for his friends.
Ken and Willie quickly climbed aboard. Jack hesitated. Before reluctantly following, he instructed the boatman to wait.
“I feel like a pirate coming here while Captain Carter is gone,” he admitted, leaping lightly down on the gently rolling deck. “He has it in for us now. If he finds us here, he’ll have just cause for complaint.”