But as they sailed on and no sign of any boats appeared, even Jack’s faith began to waver.
Could the message have been a hoax?
Such things, incredible as they may seem, have been known. The sailors began to look at him derisively.
“I guess that kid dreamed that stuff about the bird cage aloft,” muttered one. “It stands to reason there ain’t no way of sending messages without wires. You might as well try to eat food without a thing on yer plate!”
CHAPTER XXXVIII.
IN SIGHT OF SMOKE.
“I suppose I ought to take that view of the situation, too,” said Mr. Brown to Jack, “but somehow I don’t want to give this thing up yet.”
“But surely we should have seen some trace of the ship by this time,” objected Jack, who was beginning to get a little skeptical himself.
The blue line of the horizon was without a speck to mar its empty spaciousness.