"You'll just sit up and swallow this 'ere 'ot cup o' stuff," the sailor told him, roughly gripping him with that huge hand of his; "now open yer face and take it in. No lyin' down again, neither; up yer get! Move up and down! Now you, Jim! Bill's already feelin' better—youngsters do. How's that, Larry? It's made yer feel good and warm inside. What?—you won't? Oh, won't yer?"
And Larry did in most obedient manner. Indeed Tom's friendly treatment soon brought him round, so that, as the gale abated, all three were already proving useful. It was then, or a little later, that events occurred to disturb the remainder of the voyage.
CHAPTER V A German Agent
"I've been thinking," said Bill, on the fifth evening after the three friends had left New York on their journey to Europe.
"Aye," said Larry in his slow way. "Thinking of what, Bill?"
"Wonder," said Bill, "what a man would want out here in the middle of the ocean to be slinking along the deck at night as if he was afraid of meeting people."
Jim and Larry looked at him in some astonishment, a little puzzled to know what he meant.
"A man slinking along at night out here?—Where?—on this vessel?" asked Jim.