He barked furiously at first when he saw the two shadowy forms coming towards him, then Jo spoke to him in a low voice, and the dog, recognizing him, lay down in his dry shelter again. But the captain was on the alert. He came to that side of the quarter deck and looked over.
CHAPTER XII
THE GREEN GHOSTS
“I wonder what made that pup break loose like that?” he remarked. “Must have seen something unusual.”
He waited for a short time looking down to the deck below, and the boys, Tom and Jo, directly beneath him, hugged as close to the wall as they could. Then the Sea Eagle gave a heavy lurch, and Tom lost his grip, and much terrified, rolled to the bulwarks, in a dark bundle, but fortunately the captain had made up his mind that it was a false alarm and had gone back to the bridge.
Tom lay in the scuppers not daring to move, and imagining that the captain’s baleful eye was glaring down on him from the quarter deck. As Jo would have said if he had dared open his mouth, there would not have been any quarter in spite of the deck, but he was muzzled by circumstances. Another heavy roll heaved the frightened Tom back against Jo, who had a purchase on an iron ring. Jo grabbed him and held on.
“Stay anchored, you idiot,” said Jo in a hoarse whisper. “You will give us away if you aren’t careful.”
“Can’t help it,” growled Tom. “The old ship rolls so.”