Just at that instant a girlish figure came through from the connecting cabin. Dave couldn’t see her face, which was closely veiled. But from that other cabin came a roar of laughter. Dave Darrin felt like pinching himself to see if he were awake.
“Come on in,” chirped Dalzell. “The water’s fine to-day.”
Taking Dave by the arm he piloted his chum into that next cabin.
And now, indeed, Dave Darrin had reason enough to wonder if he were awake.
For three long tables occupied a good part of the cabin. And on these tables uniformed jackies, their faces all a-grin, were laying dresses, women’s coats and hats as they took them from boxes.
[CHAPTER XVI—ABOARD THE MYSTERY SHIP]
“Looks great, doesn’t it?” demanded Dalzell, in an undertone, after the sailors had stood at attention and had received their orders to “carry on.”
“It would look all right in a dry-goods store,” countered the thoroughly mystified Darrin, “but what does it mean here?”
“Why, that’s the secret,” was Dan’s unsatisfactory answer.
“I give it up,” said Darrin hopelessly.