“Here, get up,” cried Smith, with a snarl. “Touch your hat to him. He’s promoted; and they’ll send poor old Brooke a step lower. All hail, Lieutenant Skeeter!”
“All right!” I cried, and I hurried away, leaving Barkins looking as if he could not believe his ears.
The next minute I was facing the captain and Mr Reardon.
Chapter Thirty.
A Fresh Start.
“Mr Herrick,” said the captain, as I saluted, “I have decided that, as you know so much about this business, you shall go with Mr Brooke in one of the boats; but I wish you to observe what I say: the success of our expedition depends a great deal upon secrecy, so do not chatter anything about your mission in the hearing of the men.”
“No, sir, certainly not,” I said, wondering what the mission might be, and whether we were going to cut out the junks.
“That’s right; you had better take the interpreter with you.”