“I—I wondered if it would be possible for me to go along with the boat, sir?” asked Jack haltingly. There was something very disconcerting in that direct glance of the captain’s.
“In the boat, you mean?”
“Yes, sir. You see they have wireless there. I might be of some use. I——”
“There, don’t bother to make excuses,” laughed the captain good-humoredly. “You really want to go for the sake of the trip, don’t you?”
“Well, I——” began Jack, feeling rather foolish at having his mind read so unerringly.
“Will your assistant stand watch if I let you go? The ship must not be left without a wireless man.”
“Sam will stay, sir,” rejoined Jack. “It is his watch, anyway.”
“All right, then, consider it settled. Cut along now and send out that message. Those poor devils must be waiting eagerly for it.”
“Very well, sir, and thank you,” exclaimed the delighted Jack.
“Don’t thank me,” said the captain, with a gruffness that a twinkle in his eye betrayed. “I heard before you joined the ship that you had a faculty for rushing in where you had no business to be, and now I see that I was not misinformed.”