'Hungry?' said the Captain, 'I should think he is. Steward!' he called, 'bring some supper for Master Augustus.'
The steward came running into the cabin and stood transfixed—all eyes. His appearance set the Captain off again; 'Don't be scared,' he said; 'he's alive, right enough.'
'I didn't see the gentleman come aboard,' the steward found words to say.
'No,' said the Captain, 'no more didn't I. No more didn't no one. Master Augustus has his own way of coming aboard.'
At this the Hermit laughed too, and the spell being broken, the steward brought supper as to a man of flesh and blood.
'So I'm a runaway, Sim,' the Hermit said cheerily when he had finished; 'and there was no Mother Porker to catch me on the landing.'
'Catch you? No! You're A1 at it!' Chimp replied.
'Yes,' resumed the Hermit, stretching his limbs, 'we're going to be comrades again. But when we're in England, mind, no fairs, Sim, no caravans.'
Chimp laughed.
'And we'll go and see Ranji,' said the Hermit.