As they ate, Bob and Joe walked back down past the docks, their eyes always ready to single out the unusual. Although they had been in many interesting cities, never had they been more captivated than now.
Soon their attention was attracted by a coarse whistle, and looking around they saw a large freighter steaming up to the dock.
Ordinarily the boys would have paid little or no attention to the ship, for they had often watched vessels arriving and departing. But this time they looked up in wonder.
The freighter was listing badly to starboard and looked as though it were partly filled with water. How it kept from going over on its side was a puzzle to the chums.
When the ship had entered the dock and was moored by several men who stood by waiting, the gangplank was lowered, and the captain walked down, followed by others of the crew.
One of the men paused at the foot of the gangplank, and Joe took advantage of the opportunity.
“What was the trouble?” the youth asked, desiring to know what misfortune had befallen the ship.
“Struck a derelict,” was the reply. “It was an old clipper that was about rotted through. We can’t see yet how it got through the hull, but it did.”
“But how did it happen that your ship didn’t sink?” Joe inquired, his curiosity thoroughly aroused.
The sailor laughed.