“I’ll see what he’s got to say,” replied the man, moving away.
While he was gone the boys examined the vessel closely. Jimmie pronounced the vessel very much to his liking. He admired the lines and pointed with pride to the modeling of the stern.
“Hello!” the boy cried excitedly, his arm extended still in the act of indicating the ship, “there goes our friend Mackinder in a launch!”
“Where?” asked Ned eagerly, turning about in his seat.
“Right astern of us!” replied Jimmie. “I wonder what he was doing aboard this ship. He seems to be in a hurry to get ashore.”
“Maybe he wasn’t on this ship at all,” was Harry’s objection. “He might have been out on the harbor for a pleasure ride.”
“Sure, he’s just the chap to take a pleasure ride on the harbor with a storm brewing! I’ve got a picture of that chap joy-riding!”
“I hope he doesn’t see us,” declared Jack. “He might have enough influence with the captain to prevent our securing passage on this ship.”
The conversation was interrupted by the advent of the captain, who looked over the rail at the little craft riding alongside.
“What do you want?” he inquired in a business-like tone.