"I never noticed it," said he.
"How queerly Bill Ware walks!" said Cynthia, as she watched his return to his mates. "I never noticed it on board ship. I suppose he hasn't got his land legs on yet."
The Skipper raised himself and looked critically at the man.
"Those are the legs he always has on when he goes ashore," said he.
I had my suspicions, and I saw that the Skipper had his, but I did not want to frighten the girl and anger the men. Besides, she might not be frightened. She seemed to think that she had been sent into this world to set things right, and no one knew what tack she might take next.
The Skipper took out his silver watch. "Come, men, you'd better start! It's gettin' late. You'll want to pick out a good place for the night. It comes down in a minute in the tropics, you know.—Cook, are you ready?"
The men arose, turned one after the other, and came lingeringly out of the bushes.
"Are there any more of those guavas?"
"It's a little early, sir," said Tomkins. "They don't ripen well until the last of May."
Bill Tomkins's tongue seemed thick and his speech halting.