The figure spun around. "Men ..." he said, as if he could not believe it. "Men!" He began to sob.
"Hello, Stinky," said Tex. "What are you doing here?"
It was Girard Burke.
There was considerable confusion for the next several moments. Burke alternated between tears and uncontrollable shaking. Matt, who had awakened last, had trouble] sorting out what was going on from the fantasy he had been dreaming, and everybody talked at once, all asking questions and none of them answering. |
"Quiet!" commanded Oscar. "Let's get this straight. Burke^ as I understand it, you were in the Gary?" (
"I'm skipper of the Gary."
"Huh? Well, I'll be switched. Come to think of it, we knew the captain of the Gary was named Burke, but it never occurred to anybody that it could be Stinky Burke. Who would be crazy enough to trust you with a crate, Stinky?"
"It's my own ship-or, anyhow, my father's. And I'll thank you to call me Captain Burke, not 'Stinky.' "
"Okay, Captain Stinky."
"But how did he get here?" Matt wanted to know, still trying to catch up.