“I wonder if the sailors will stick with these rascals after this,” said a Bostonian named Hammond.
“They’re a pretty sullen sort, and I don’t think you can expect much civilization in them,” replied Watson.
“Who are Everleigh and Little?” Carl inquired. “Do you know anything about them? I hadn’t heard their names mentioned before.”
“They’re a couple of crooks, professional gamblers, ocean card sharks, living on steamers most of the time, playing with rich easy marks.”
“Is Gunseyt a crook?” asked Guy.
“Sure; he’s one of the worst—plays for big game, but not much with cards.”
Guy would have liked to inquire further regarding the “man with the changeable voice,” but decided that it was not best to do so at present. He concluded it was best to wait for an opportunity to speak alone with Watson on the matter.
“We’ve got to do something to protect the women here,” observed the professor presently. “Two of them are ill already, and some of us men are going to prove weaker than the others pretty soon. We mustn’t let the strong override the weak, and we’ve got to conserve our resources.”
“Let’s call a meeting in the morning and discuss the situation,” Watson proposed. “I would suggest that nothing be said at that meeting about what occurred tonight. Those rascals ought to be watched, but we must not do anything to divide us into two hostile factions. We’ll appeal to the men as men and ask for a vote on any proposed measure.”
“That’s a good idea,” commended Prof. Anderson.