"I thought so," Ned answered.
"Now, what is the answer to that remark," asked Ben.
"You'll get the answer directly," Ned replied. "Listen to the rattle of the alleged supplies when a box is thrown down hard!"
"I was noticing that."
"Sounds like guns?" asked Ned.
"Yes, indeed, but why should the government be supplying the dagoes with guns? We have all we can do to keep them decent when they have no arms at all."
"You sailed from Manila with Carstens?" said Ned, putting his statement in the form of a question.
"Yes, I left Manila on the Clara. He seemed to be all right until after we picked up the boxes on the China coast. He was a good fellow, when we left Manila, but he was confined to his cabin for a day and a night and has been ugly as sin ever since. He came out of the sickness looking a bit seedy but that ought not to cause him to turn into a red-handed brute, had it?"
"He has been acting badly, has he?" asked Ned.
"As if the very Old Nick was in him," was the reply. "You heard what he said about a drum-head court martial for you?" the sailor added.