“All in favor!” grinned Nicky. “But Tom has the cooler head and you, Cliff, know more than I do.”
“Aye—just the same—you’re elected!” laughed Cliff.
“I’ll volunteer to cook,” Tom offered.
“Then I’m crew and cabin boy,” chuckled Cliff.
“What are your orders, cap’n?” asked Tom with assumed deference, touching his forelock in approved nautical fashion.
“Of course we all are captain, really,” Nicky stated. “But just while we’re in no danger, I’d say we ought to see what weapons the men left, and where the food is and how badly broken the hull is.”
“That’s one job for each of us,” Cliff agreed. “I’ll round up the artillery. Tom will cook, so that leaves the captain the rightful duty of estimating damage to his ship!”
“Then we may try to repair her,” grinned Nicky, “and sail, and sail the seven seas, and spread our sails to every breeze and take our captives as we please——”
“Only we have no sails!” Cliff reminded him.
“Well, then, we’ll gaily man our ocean rover and swiftly turn her engines over and if we’re chased—if we’re chased——”