The officer looked down, and saw a cooking stove, trunks, and bedding. He looked around in doubt.
But this scene had lasted long enough.
"O, nonsense!" said Bart, suddenly pulling up his line, and coming forward; "see here—it's all right," said he to the officer. "We're not fishermen. It's as he says. We're only out on a short cruise, you know, for pleasure, and that sort of thing."
As Bart turned, the others did the same. Bruce lounged up, dragging his line, followed by Arthur and the others.
"We're responsible for the schooner," said Bruce, quietly. "It's ours for the time being. We don't look like foreign fishermen—do we?"
The officer looked at the boys, and saw his mistake at once. He was afraid that he had made himself ridiculous. The faces and manners of the boys, as they stood confronting him in an easy and self-possessed manner, showed most plainly the absurdity of his position. Even the mysterious flag became intelligible, when he looked at the faces of those over whom it floated.
"I suppose it's all right," he muttered, in a vexed tone, and descended into the boat without another word.
"Sorry to have troubled you, captain," said Corbet, looking blandly after the officer; "but it wan't my fault. I didn't have charge of that thar injine."
The officer turned his back without a word, and the men pulled off to the steamer.
The captain looked after the boat in silence for some time.