"Sail! we are just in; cargo all in the hold," said the sailor good-naturedly, relighting his pipe, and looking curiously at the two boys. "What d'ye want to know for? Don't want to ship, do you?"
"Not exactly; we want to go as passengers on a sea-voyage."
"Where do you want to go?"
"Oh, nowhere in particular."
"I never sailed to that port," said the sailor, laughing as well as he could and still hold on to his pipe with his teeth.
"Is there any vessel going to sail from here to-day?" asked Ben.
"Well, now, there isn't a very big fleet here. If any of 'em was going to start soon, you'd be likely to see some stirring about. There's a little smack over the other side, just goin' out; but that ain't your style, I reckon."
The boys looked in the direction indicated by the sailor's tar-stained thumb, and saw the sails going up.
"Let's go over there, Ben," said Ralph, pulling his companion's arm.
They were soon at the vessel's side, and as the crew only numbered two, and only one of these was a full-grown man, it was not difficult to know who was the captain.