“Boat ahoy yourself!” was the answer.
“Come aboard!” cried Buck. “I have something I want to show you. It’s a peach!”
“Not a really, truly peach?” demanded Case’s voice.
“You’ll see what it is when you come on board,” replied Rube with a chuckle.
The boat drew up alongside and both Case and Thede crossed over to the deck of the Esmeralda. Then Alex and Jule sprang out and seized them.
At the termination of a friendly struggle, when all four were out of breath, the surgeon held Jule off at arm’s length and claimed to be inspecting him with great gravity.
“You’re the boy,” he finally said, “who went out to catch fish for starving men! Give an account of yourself!”
“Oh, the explanations ought to come from your own side!” said Jule, struggling to get away. “We didn’t sail away and leave you.”
“So that’s it, is it?” laughed Thede. “Well, under the circumstances, you are forgiven, but don’t do it again!”
“What about this desertion of us on the rolling deep?” asked Alex. “You’ve got to square that, you know!”