Higgins shook his fist at it. "Damn you—" he said. "Damn you—"
The Idaho was carefully brought into the mouth of the river until she touched bottom. Fortunately the bottom was sandy mud. The ship sighed and settled herself into it like a tired sea monster coming out of the ocean to die. Everyone on board her knew that this was the ship's last resting place. Her steel bones would remain here until they rusted away. As the ship's keel grated on the bottom, Captain Higgins looked like a man who is hearing his own death sentence but his back was stiff as a ramrod and his chin was high.
CHAPTER V
The Ogrum
"Exploring parties ashore," Captain Higgins ordered.
"With your permission," Craig said, "I should like to be a member of one of those parties."
"Certainly," the captain said. "I'll do even better than that—I'll put you in charge of one of them."
"Thank you, sir," Craig said. In accordance with the best naval tradition, he kept his voice emotionless, but his heart leaped at the thought. He was going to lead a squad of blue-jackets ashore!
He was assembling his group when Michaelson, wildly excited, came dashing up. "I understand you are taking a squad ashore!" the scientist excitedly panted.