“By Jove, Jim!” exclaimed Jo Darlington, “but this sea is something fierce! For one I will be mighty glad when we get clear of the Hawaiian channels and out into the open.”
“It is lively going,” yelled Jim, above the roar of the wind, as he and his brother Jo were standing together on the bridge of their ship, “but I guess the Sea Eagle will weather it, if we don’t run into another vessel in the dark. How about it, Captain?”
The captain, who was the rather bent figure of an old man, was clothed in a heavy woolen jacket, buttoned across his chest. He stopped and regarded Jim fixedly in the semi-light on the bridge.
“What’s that, Skipper?” he roared hoarsely, “weather this? Why, this ain’t no sea, and the Sea Eagle is a staunch boat. Why, lad, you must be joking.”
“I was,” replied Jim, laughing. “I just want to reassure brother Jo,—that was all.”
“Somebody ought to go and cheer up Tom and Jeems Howell,” remarked Jo, in order to give himself some sea standing in the eyes of Captain Kerns. “They are as sick as puppies down in the cabin.”
“Don’t blame ’em much,” cried Jim, “this motion would upset a shark’s liver.”
If you have read “The Frontier Boys in Hawaii,” you will be well acquainted with these conversationalists on the good sea-going yacht, the Sea Eagle, but if not, you will have to be introduced, “Mr. Reader, this is Skipper James Darlington.”
“Happy to make your acquaintance, hope you are a good sailor?”