"The inferior quality of his product, I heard. There were ugly rumors concerning graft at the time. Some of the newspapers even went so far as to urge his prosecution."
"Then we are dealing with bad men?" commented Jack.
"Unquestionably so. But I think we had better break up this council of war and get to bed. I want to get an early start in the morning."
But when morning came, it was found that the repairs to the Skipjack would take longer than had been anticipated. While Captain Simms remained at the boat yard to superintend the work, the lads returned to the hotel and addressed some post cards. This done they sauntered out on the porch. Almost the first person they encountered chanced to be Jarrow. He started and turned a sickly yellow at the sight of them, although he knew, from an inspection of the register the night before, that they were there.
"Why—er—ahem, so it is you once more. Where did you spring from?"
"We came out of that door," murmured Jack, while Noddy snickered. "Where did you come from?"
"I might say from the same place," was the rejoinder, with a look of malice at Noddy.
"We thought you were in the west," said Billy. "Great place, the west. They say the climate out there is healthier than the east—for some folks."
"Boy, you are impudent," snarled Jarrow.
"Not at all. I was merely making a meteorological remark," smiled Billy.