And Tom Slade, captain’s mess boy and former scout, went on thinking.
CHAPTER XIII
HE PONDERS AND DECIDES BETWEEN TWO NEAR RELATIONS
When Tom at length did speak his own voice sounded strange to him; but he said what he had to say with a simple straightforwardness which in ordinary circumstances would have carried conviction.
“If you’d let me say something,” he said, trying to keep his throat clear, “I’d like to tell you——”
“It’s the best thing, sonny,” said the man in the sailor suit; “you needn’t be afraid of squealing. How old are you?”
“Seventeen,” said Tom, “but it wasn’t squealing I was thinking about. I ain’t a-scared, if that’s what you think.”
He avoided looking at his brother, who tried to catch his eye, and the men, perhaps seeing this and thinking it might be fruitful to let him say what he would in his own way, relaxed a trifle toward him.