“There’s no call to lose your temper, lad, seein’s how the fellow has been held just as you delivered him, except that a change of prisons was made, and I’m allowin’ the commodore ran away with the idea that he might venture thus far without your permission.”
I was ashamed, immediately after having spoken, and the old man’s reply only served to increase my confusion.
“It is proving myself a simple, to speak in such a tone,” I said humbly. “There’s no reason why either Alec or I should know anything regarding the prisoner which the commander wishes to keep a secret.”
“From what I’ve heard and can guess, I allow you two lads will not have the chance to complain of bein’ kept in the dark, so far as he’s concerned, many days longer.”
“What do you mean?” I asked, my curiosity provoked by his air of mystery.
“Time will show, and you’re young enough to be willin’ to wait a few hours.”
Having said this, old Silas turned away, as if his breath was too valuable to be wasted on one like me, and I went in search of Alec.
He was in the commodore’s cabin, one of the officers told me, and I, not daring to venture there without special invitation, was forced to curb my impatience as best I might.
An hour later, when I had heartily repented having spoken so hastily to old Silas, a sailor came with an order for me to present myself before the commander in his quarters.
“The gunner has repeated what I said, and now I must confess myself a meddling fool before the one man above all others whose good opinion I wish to keep,” I muttered to myself while obeying the order, and when I finally stood in the presence of the commodore the expression on his face frightened me.