The 'old man' scratched his head and said that he thought so.
"As you know, Smith, what we have to eat is horrid bad," he said thoughtfully.
"It is, sir," replied Smith. "It ain't fit for pigs."
Jordan stood thinking for a minute. Then he turned to Smith.
"On the whole, Smith, I think I'd get nothing. I'd like 'em to see the kind of stuff they buy for us. Perhaps it will do them good. It don't do us any. Get nothin', Smith."
"Very well, sir," said the steward with a grin. He turned to go, and Jordan stopped him.
"I suppose, Smith, that some of the grub is worse than the rest?" he asked.
"Lord bless you, sir, the men's grub is fair poison."
"Is it now?" said the skipper. "Do you know, Smith, I think we'll eat what the men do for the passage as far as Gibraltar. I'll speak to Mr. Thripp and Mr. Cade, and I daresay they won't mind just for a little while."
"I could put you and them somethin' better in your cabin, sir, if the other made you very sick," suggested Smith.