"And that bein' the case, it will be, I reckon?" pursued the captain with the air of one propounding a profound question.
Again Ned agreed. This time he signified his entire understanding of the captain's views by a nod of his head.
"Well," resumed the skipper, "it's got to be that you've got to go below, and——"
"Go below?" repeated Ned indignantly. "See here, Captain Briggs, don't you think you're carrying this thing a little far?"
"I dunno as I am, and if I am, why, then, I dunno as it's any of your clamjamfried business," retorted the captain. "You wasn't asked to come on board this here fine vessel, was yer?"
"Certainly not, and as you know I'm more grateful than I can say to you for saving my life. But when——"
The captain shut Ned off with a wave of his hand.
"Least said, soonest mended," he remarked. "You an' me 'ull have our talk 'bout that later on. Cap'n Briggs, he gets paid fer his salvage, be it human or 'totherwise. The p'int is this, you've got to go below."
"But what is your object in confining me in that stuffy cabin?" objected Ned. "Let me stay on deck and I'll pledge you my word that I wouldn't have a chance to escape from you,—that is, if you persist in your insane idea that I have wealthy relatives who will pay handsomely for my ransom."