"Do you know the watchman here?"
"Watchman! I haven't seen any yet, though I reckon likely there is one around somewhere; but he ain't agitatin' himself with doin' much watchin'."
"Is the yard open all the time?"
"I haven't seen the gates closed yet; but most likely that's because the work has been pushed on so fast, there hasn't been time to shut 'em. Look here, lad!" and now the man sat bolt upright, staring as intently at the boy as the latter had at the gilt letters, "Is it in your head to stow away on that steamer?"
"Sim Donovan did it aboard a English steamer, an' I've heard it said he had a great time."
"Yes, I reckon he did, if the captain was the usual sort," the dust-begrimed man replied, grimly.
"I could keep out of sight a whole week, if it was for the sake of comin' across dad," the boy added, half to himself.
"That's what you think now, lad; but it ain't the easy work you're countin' on. As a general rule, stowaways get it mighty tough, an' I'd sooner take my chances of swimmin', than to try any such plan."
"If a feller kept under cover he couldn't get into much trouble."