A half hour later, growing restless, Johnny crept from his corner, opened the cabin door and disappeared up the narrow hatch.
Ten seconds later he poked his head into the door to exclaim in a low, tense voice, “MacGregor, come up here quick.”
MacGregor came. The girl came too. For a full half minute the three of them stood there speechless. They were looking up and away. Their eyes were wide and staring.
“MacGregor,” Johnny asked, “what is it?”
“A ship,” MacGregor whispered. “A thunderin’ big ship. She’s not two hundred leagues away. She’s not movin’, just driftin’. That’s how she came close to us.”
“Wha-what ship is she?”
“Who knows, son? But I’d lay a bet I could guess the country she came from.”
“So—so could I.” Johnny’s throat was dry.
“We—we,” Rusty pulled her old sou’wester down hard on her head, “we’d better get into the life boat and row away. It—it doesn’t matter about the Krazy Kat. It really doesn’t.” She swallowed hard.
“We can try it,” MacGregor agreed. “But I’m afraid it’s too late.