Chapter Three.
“Well, youngsters!” saluted us as soon as we stepped on deck, and the bluff, brown-faced captain gave me a searching look. “Ready for work?”
“Yes, sir.”
“That’s right. Well, I don’t want you yet. Run about the ship, and keep out of my way. That’ll do for the present. Be off!”
He was rather rough, but it was in a good-tempered fashion, and I felt as if I should like the captain in spite of a whisper from Walters which sounded like “boor.”
Then feeling free for the day, I upset my new friend and patron by going amongst the men and passengers as they came on deck.
“Here, don’t you be so fast,” said Walters, as I was hurrying from place to place asking questions of the sailors, and finding interest in everything on board, where, though bearing a certain similarity, all was so different to the arrangements upon a yacht.
“Fast!” I said, wonderingly.