“Let Oscar do it,” suggested Ballyhoo; for somehow it seemed that when something really important had to be carried through the Jones boy felt considerable more confidence in Oscar’s ability than in his own.
“All right, I will,” promptly spoke up the one indicated. “Both of you stay here so as not to get in the way. This is a tight fit, you must remember, and any useless confusion would be next door to criminal. I’ll be back in a jiffy; the chances are nothing so terrible has happened.”
With that he left them. Jack and Ballyhoo waited impatiently for his return, and, of course, conjectured all sorts of miserable things. Still, their spirits began to brighten in some degree when they noticed that pretty much all the furore had by now died down.
“Guess we’re not taking in water very fast, anyhow,” said Ballyhoo bravely.
“I haven’t seen or felt any leak,” agreed Jack, just as if such a thing as flooding the little compartment where they had their bunks were possible without a panic among the crew.
Then came Oscar almost crawling back to them, because passing from one part of the boat to another necessitated considerable of this sort of thing.
“It’s good news he’s fetching us, I warrant you!” exclaimed the eager Ballyhoo, “because I can see his face all wrinkled up in a smile.”
Oscar sank down beside them.
“Well, it seems that we certainly butted into something or other that was quite hidden in among that extra big patch of submarine imitation trees,” he commenced. “The captain doesn’t know just yet whether any damage was done, but they haven’t discovered that we’re taking on any water, and that is a comfort.”
“Bully!” zipped Ballyhoo, drawing in a big breath of relief.