“You haven’t been to sea?” he said, at last, in quite a different tone.
“Only about in my boat.”
“In sight of land, when you could put ashore at any time.”
“Yes; but what do you mean?”
“I mean, the first thing a sailor, thinks about is his supply of fresh water.”
“To be sure,” said Aleck. “I always take a little keg from our spring when I go for a long day’s fishing.”
“Pity you didn’t bring it here,” said the middy, dismally.
“Eh? What do you mean?”
“I want to know what we’re going to do for water as soon as those bottles are empty?”
It was Aleck’s turn to be silent now, and in turn he was some moments before he spoke.