[pg 103] “Good enough!” nodded Hal, while Eph dodged away to get that breakfast ready.
Sam Truax lounged back in the engine room, smoking a short pipe. With him stuck Williamson, for Eph had privately instructed the machinist from the Farnum yard not to leave the stranger alone in the engine room.
“Why don't you go up on deck and get a few whiffs of fresh air?” asked Truax.
“Oh, I'm comfortable down here,” grunted the machinist, who was stretched out on one of the leather-cushioned seats that ran along the side of the engine room.
“I should think you'd want to get out of here once in a while, though,” returned Truax.
“Why?” asked the machinist. “Anything you want to be left alone here for?”
“Oh, of course not,” drawled Truax, blowing out a cloud of tobacco smoke.
“Then I guess I'll stay where I am,” nodded Williamson.
“Sorry, but you'll have to stop all smoking in here now,” announced Eph, thrusting his head in at the doorway. “There'll be a lot of cadets aboard at eleven o'clock, and we want the air clear and sweet. You'd better go all over the machinery and see that everything is in applepie order and appearance. Mr. Hastings will be in here soon to inspect it.”
[pg 104] “Just what rank does that young turkey-cock hold on board?” sneered Truax, when the door had closed.