"If you find it too hot, come on deck and air yourself."
The lad accepted the invitation, and hastily ascended the few steps, his chief object being to learn where he was.
Looking about in the gloom, he observed a ship under full sail on the right, and a little farther off one on the left. In the former direction he thought he discerned a faint dark line close to the water, which he supposed showed where the shore lay.
"Then we are putting out to sea," was his conclusion, while he shivered in the keen wind which swept over the deck.
The schooner had her mainsail and foresail up, both bellying far outward under the impulse of the wind, while the hull keeled far over to the right in response, and the foaming water at the bow told that she was making her way at high speed toward her destination, wherever that might be.
As well as Jim could make out in the gloom, neither of the two men who were managing the vessel was Hornblower.
"Where are we bound?" asked the prisoner, turning upon the one who invited him to come out of the cabin.
"To the moon," was the unsatisfactory response.
Jim said no more, for he was afraid he might offend the fellow by pressing his inquiries.
"I guess you'd better go below and sleep, for the likes of you ain't of any use here."