"Launch, Ahoy! What can I do for you?"
"I must speak with you on important business, Captain."
"All right, sir. If you'll bear off a little, I'll heave to and you may come aboard. I'm heavily laden and on short time, but I'll spare you a few moments if you can be brief."
In a short time the schooner lay quietly upon the water, with the Fortuna ranged alongside. Fenders had been put overboard by the Fortuna's crew in order to protect the paint on the launch.
Jack was received by the captain, who met him with a smile and hearty handshake of welcome. The situation was soon explained by Jack, who won the captain's heart by his straightforward, manly appearance and by his directness of speech.
"So we've got some of your chums who have been shanghaied?" queried the captain, when Jack had finished his recital.
"It looks that way, Captain," Jack announced.
"Well, what are you going to do about it?" inquired the master of the sailing vessel in a tone intended to be severe.
Jack was watching his new acquaintance closely and thought he detected just the suspicion of a twinkle in the captain's eye.
"He's playing for time to try me out," thought the lad rapidly. "He wants to see what I'll do in case of refusal."