"You're all alone on board?"
"Yes, sir."
Dennis broke into laughter, dropped his rifle and seized the hand of the steward, pulling him erect.
"Here, man, don't be afraid!" he exclaimed. "I'm solid flesh and blood. But you'll have to unscrew this helmet—the thing's killing me, and I can't get rid of it. I've cut off the rest of the suit—take hold, now!"
Dennis sat down on the deck. Trembling still, the steward unfastened the catches of the helmet and unscrewed the big tinned-copper globe.
"Oh, but that feels good!" sighed Dennis, "I could open the front sight, but I couldn't get the thing off. Now the corselet——"
A moment later Dennis stood erect, gingerly feeling his neck and shoulders. Suddenly he laughed again and seized the steward's hand.
"Shake, old man!" he exclaimed heartily. "So they're all off fighting the Japs, eh? Mrs. Pontifex too?"
"Yes, sir."
"And you didn't know that I'd cut the old ship adrift—and that we're outward bound with the tide?"