At any rate, some sneezes do sound like that, and it is no wonder the strange man was startled. In another moment he turned around and ran toward the woods.
“Now you’ve done it!” cried Will. “You’ve scared him, Sam!”
“I didn’t go for to do it!” said Sam, quite ashamed of himself. “I sure didn’t go for to do it!”
“No matter, you did it!” said Will. “Now we’ve got to run after him and catch him! Come on!”
Will dashed out of the little house followed by Sam, and the two raced after the wild man. But the queer chap had a head start of the sailors, and, as you know, sailors are not very good runners at best.
Their legs get warped and twisted from steadying themselves on rolling ships so much, maybe.
At any rate, the wild man was well ahead of Sam and Will. And he knew just where to run—which paths to take through the woods. This the sailors did not know.
So, after a short chase the two sailors lost sight of the wild man. Then it was useless for Will and Sam to keep on after him.
“He got away!” said Sam.
“And all your fault, too,” declared Will. “What did you have to go and sneeze for?”