“It’s a mail steamer; she is very late,” replied Ole.
“But is she going to carry us off, because she is in a hurry?”
“Only to a port up here a little ways. We can come right back in another steamer,” Ole explained; and Burchmore was satisfied.
Now, the captain had certainly declared that he was in a great hurry, and was not willing to wait for the boat which had put off from the ship; but he proposed to hail a boat which was passing, and send his involuntary passengers to the town in her. Ole assured him his companions wished to go to Lillesand, and he was too glad to avoid any delay. As the first cutter followed the steamer, it was decided, after consultation with the captain, to turn the stove boat adrift, so that it could be towed back to the ship by the first cutters. Sanford cast off the painter, and the pliant master of the steamer was glad to get rid of this check upon the speed of his boat. The boys watched the water-logged craft till it was picked up by the first cutter, and then passing behind an island, the squadron was out of view.
“How came you here, Ole?” asked Rodman.
“Came in the boat; but I didn’t think you were going to smash her. I thought I was killed that time, sure,” laughed the waif.
“But how came you in the boat?” inquired Wilde.
“I got in, of course; nobody put me in.”
“When?”
“When it hung at the davits in the ship, just before the pilot came on board.”