Seeing that his words failed to arouse or draw out the other, Jimmie turned disgustedly away to lean over the rail.
Ned began to question their guest, but was interrupted by Jimmie, who announced that he saw a steamer’s smoke on the horizon.
“This water is quite thickly sprinkled with vessels of all sorts,” said the alleged Mackinder. “Perhaps we’d better get out, you know!”
“What do you make that vessel out to be?” asked Ned.
“It doesn’t make any difference what it is,” replied the other, “we shall be better off if they don’t find us! We don’t need them!”
“Very well,” put in Jimmie, “then we’ll get up steam on this wagon and slide along. I’m going to say this to you, though, that Mackinder or no Mackinder, we’re very grateful for your help. If we get an opportunity to reciprocate, we’ll be only too glad to do it!”
With this, the boy turned and offered his hand to the man. It was grasped with a hearty grip that conveyed a sense of friendliness.
“You can help me right now,” was the response. “Come aboard my vessel and give me a hand on a little project I have under way.”
“I don’t think we’d better do that right now,” stated Jimmie. “You see, we’re neutral, and we don’t want to take sides either way!”
“So am I neutral! I care nothing for this awful war except to see it stop. I shall do nothing for either side, so rest easy on that score. But your propellor is broken by having that line jammed in it. You cannot navigate your vessel, and would better come aboard mine!”