“Have you seen anything of two boys?” questioned Captain Danvier. “We have lost them.”
“No, I have seen no boys. Have you seen a man? We lost one of our sailors in that smash.”
“No, we have seen nobody,” answered the French captain.
“It was your fault we had that smash,” the Dutch skipper continued. “Remember, I shall hold you for it in law, the first chance I get!”
“Do as you please about that,” returned Captain Danvier, coolly. “You are as much to blame as myself. But if you see anything of those boys treat them well and you’ll lose nothing by it.”
“I’ll treat them well enough,” growled the Dutch skipper.
As the Dutchman could speak neither French nor English the conversation had to be carried on in his native tongue and it was hard for Captain Danvier to make himself understood. Only a few words more passed, and then the two vessels separated, and the lumber schooner proceeded on her way, with every sail set.
“It ees certainly verra sad,” said the French captain, to the professor and the boys. “I vill do what I can for ze boys—but what is zare to do, tell me zat?”
“I wish you would remain in this vicinity for a day or so,” answered Professor Strong. “They may be floating around, and if so I hope to pick them up.”
The captain agreed readily, and not one day but two were spent in the vicinity. In the meantime the hole in the bow was repaired, so that danger from that source became a thing of the past.