“Give way, my lads.”
Splash went the oars, and at that moment Steve cried excitedly:
“There it is again, right astern!”
“Nonsense, boy!” said the captain;—“imagination. We should have heard it too. Pull, my lads, pull.”
The men dragged at their oars, and Steve sank down in his place feeling abashed, but perfectly certain all the same that he had heard the whistle. At the end of a few minutes the captain said kindly:
“It’s very easy to be deceived, my lad, and to fancy we hear that which we wish to hear. Johannes, come aft here, and cast off this little fish. We shall have enough to do without towing it.”
“Cast it off, sir?” said the man as soon as he had passed the rowers, and he opened his great knife slowly.
“Yes; it is too heavy to drag. Well, why do you hesitate?”
“I was thinking, sir.”
“Well, think afterwards. Don’t cut the rope; you can untie it.”