"Eh, laddie, is that a fact? And what'll you do yersel' the now?"
"Oh, I'll stay and find my father. Here's Sowinski. I'm jolly glad I got here first."
The other sampan was by this time under the vessel's quarter. A seaman came up to the captain.
"A furriner, sir, talking double Dutch."
"Quay."
He left the bridge and went to the side.
"What might you be wishing the now?" he said.
Sowinski began to address him in very broken English, eked out with French and Russian.
"I'm no' what you might ca' a leenguist," said the Captain, after a patient hearing. "What'll he be meaning, Mr. Brown?"
"He says I'm a fugitive, and insists on your giving me up. If you don't, he'll have the boat stopped at the signal station, and you'll be heavily fined."