"If I could get the chap that put that dynamite in the engine, tried to burn the little old 'Grey Eagle' and has been spying on us, he'd think I had brass knuckles on!" stoutly maintained the lad.
"He deserves it, all right!" agreed Jack. "But how will you manage when you get across the water?" he continued. "Those fellows over there don't understand English and you can't understand French!"
"Why, I'll point to my mouth and rub my belt buckle! Then they'll know I'm hungry!" was Jimmie's reply. "That goes anywhere!"
A general laugh went around the group at this solution of linguistic difficulties. Jimmie's appetite was a subject of general knowledge and many a joke did the boys have at his expense.
"What will our first move be, Ned?" inquired Harry.
"Pass the potatoes!" put in Jimmie.
"After we land," replied Ned, ignoring the interruption, "we'll have to discover whether this cotton steamer has arrived. If she has not, we'll wait until we learn what port she makes. Mr. Bosworth stated that she was the "Nymph" and cleared from Galveston for Le Havre. I figure that we ought to beat her across by at least two days."
"But cotton is contraband, isn't it?" asked Jack.
"I believe it is," admitted Ned. "If discovered, she may be seized and the chase lead us to another place. We must take a chance."
"Why should cotton be contraband?" demanded Jimmie. "They can't use cotton to fight with! Who'd shoot a cotton bullet?"