“Well, and what if there is?”
“Didn’t you say we were to go for the life-boat, sir?”
The crew laughed heartily, as if there was something exceedingly ludicrous in this question, and Benny looked around in astonishment.
“Do you count on going with us?” Downey asked, as soon as he could control his mirth sufficiently to speak.
“I thought you would let me, sir, seeing as how I went the first time.”
“Because we were so foolish as to take you then, there is no reason for committing the same fault again. You are to stay here with the cook and Fluff C. Foster. Once in a night is enough for you to risk your life when there’s no especial call for so doing.”
Benny appeared positively pained, and Sam Hardy whispered to him while the others were making their preparations:
“It wouldn’t be right, lad, for us to take you, even though it might be convenient, which it isn’t. We’re goin’ in the surf-boat, and there will be snug stowin’ when the full crew is aboard. If it was a case of fair weather an’ smooth water you’d have to stay behind, because we couldn’t pack you in; so look cheerful, an’ see to it that we have plenty of hot coffee on our return.”
This explanation comforted the boy greatly, and he at once set about doing what he could to assist in the preparations for departure.
Then, after the boat had been launched and the men pulled off on their perilous work, with Fluff in his arms he stood at the entrance of the boat-house, watching until the tiny craft was swallowed up in the darkness, and when it was no longer possible to distinguish any object upon the heaving waters the lad returned to the mess-room, there to make ready an appetizing meal for his comrades.