"What do you make it out to be, Sir?" I asked.
"God knows!" he said, with a quick glance round to see whether any of the men were about.
He got down from the rail, and turned to go up on to the poop. At the top of the ladder, he leant over the break.
"You may as well ship that gangway, you two," he told us. "And mind,
Jessop, keep your mouth shut about this."
"i, i, Sir," I answered.
"And you too, youngster!" he added and went aft along the poop.
Tammy and I were busy with the gangway when the Second came back. He had brought the Skipper.
"Right under the gangway, Sir" I heard the Second say, and he pointed down into the water.
For a little while, the Old Man stared. Then I heard him speak.
"I don't see anything," he said.