"You get out!" exclaimed Perth, vexed to find himself "sold."
"I don't know but the plan was changed," continued the carpenter. "Some of them were afraid we might get things mixed on board; and after we got the cargo in, we couldn't tell the gorillas from the runaways."
Bitts thought he had said a clever thing; and, chuckling at his own wit, he turned on his heel, and walked aft to the waist.
"It's no use to ask them anything," said Herman.
"I suppose we may as well keep still, and wait till something turns up," added Perth.
"I don't see that we can do anything else."
"Unless we start the water in the tanks," suggested Perth.
"And have our own supply cut off. I had enough of that sort of thing in the ship. If we don't behave well, the first thing Fluxion will do will be to put us on salt horse and hard bread."
"We won't do anything yet. In my opinion, we shall go into port in a day or two."
At eight bells the starboard watch were piped to dinner, being relieved by the port watch. The wind continued fresh and fair; and the Josephine flew on her course, logging from ten to twelve knots all day. The portion of the crew off duty were not required to recite any lessons, or do anything else. The severe course of study to which Mr. Fluxion had subjected them, during the absence of the rest of the company in France and Switzerland, had enabled them to make up all deficient lessons. The principal had requested Mr. Fluxion not to assign any studies to his charge, unless it became necessary to do so in order to keep them out of mischief. The crew were to serve in quarter watches, from eight at night till eight in the forenoon, though the acting watch officers were to serve full time.