"An' me too," said Johnson. "If we'd had Tom and one or two more along we'd have beat her easy. But ain't he a-comin' back at all at all?"
"I hardly think we'll see Captain Thompson any more this voyage," I answered savagely; "but by the Lord Harry, he's left his trunk all right."
XXIII
When we rowed back to the ship, Trunnell was looking at us through the glass up to the time we came under the Pirate's counter. He evidently could see that our skipper wasn't with us, and it seemed as if he could not quite make up his mind to the fact, but must keep looking through the telescope as though the powerful glass would bring the missing one into view. We ran up to the channels, and he looked over the side. A line of heads in the waist told of the curiosity among the men forward.
I said nothing, and nothing was said until the painter was made fast and
Ford had sprung on deck.
"He ain't with ye, Rolling?" asked Trunnell.
I was too much disgusted to answer. The empty boat was enough to satisfy any reasonable person.
Chips came to the rail and leaned over as I came up the chain-plates. "'Twas so, then? Th' raskil! But what makes th' bloody hooker move? She's slantin' away as if th' devil himself ware holdin' av her fore foot!"
"Steam, you poor idiots," I cried out, in disgust, for it was evident that even Trunnell couldn't tell what made the Shark get headway, although now the smoke poured handsomely from her masthead.
Trunnell scratched his bushy head and seemed to be thinking deeply. Then he put down the glasses and led the way aft without a word, Chips and I following. We went below and found Mrs. Sackett and Jennie in the saloon.