"Oh, yes; considerable on the river at home. I have rowed in races there—small rowboat races—and so has my friend Sam."
"I thought you were pretty handy about small boats. It is a good thing for a seaman to know boats."
"I wonder what he's getting at?" muttered Sam, eyeing the boatswain's mate suspiciously. "He isn't here for any good, I am sure of that."
The boy had noted that the boatswain's mate was eyeing them closely, tilting his head to one side and squinting out of one eye as if he were sighting a big gun.
"Don't shoot," laughed Sam.
"What's that?"
"Nothing, only I thought you were getting ready to shoot, the way you were squinting at me."
"We are going to have some races ourselves in about three weeks."
"Is that so?" exclaimed Dan.
"Out here on the ocean?" demanded Sam.