“Where to?”
“I do not know. Maybe to visit some neighbor’s boy. Was it anything particular, sir?”
“Well, yes. You see he got our cabin boy at the ship, Tom Dalton, to run away to-day, and we’re ready to sail.”
“Oh, I am certain he does not know where he is,” Mrs. Bertram hastened to say.
“Trust a keen-witted boy like him for that,” incredulously remarked the mate.
“At least he has been busy or at home since he was at the ship this afternoon.”
“Well, I guess if we find Will Bertram we’ll place Tom Dalton,” said the mate, confidently. “Come, Jack, we won’t break our necks looking for the lads, but, of course, we must follow orders.”
The watching boys did not move until the two sailors were well out of sight. Tom was crying bitterly.
“Be a man, Tom,” urged Will, encouragingly. “What are you crying about?”
“Because they hunt me down so, and will be sure to catch me. Everybody’s against me.”