“You don’t hafter—only watch. Old Jothan is getting tired of holding on to the business. He wants to be shown who is the best man of the two boys. That best one he’ll take into the House after this voyage—and you mark my word, sonny, that best man is going to be Mr. Alf Barney.”
I didn’t know whether Job had told me the truth, or not; but I was sorry to learn of the sordid rivalry between the two brothers. It was tragic—no less; and I wondered what would come of it in the end?
But my wildest imaginings would have been tame indeed beside what really was to be the outcome of the misunderstanding between Jim and Alf Barney.
Chapter XII
In Which the Captain’s Dog Goes Overboard
The heavy weather could not last forever; we came to a comparatively calmer season of several days. But the Gullwing was not sighted and I began to be worried. So many things might easily happen to her. The officers and crew of the Seamew were interested in finding the sister ship, too; but their comments upon her absence were neither kindly nor cheering.
“Is she still ahead, or has she sunk?” demanded Cap’n Si, after an examination of the entire circle of sea through his glass.
“I bet we’ve sailed clean around her,” said the first mate, chuckling. “She’s in the discard.”
“No,” said Cap’n Si. “It couldn’t be that.”
“She’s reached land, then,” grinned the mate pointing downward.