“I’ll do it, Skipper,” he said. “I’m fond of this yere boat, and it’s like home to me. Then, too, I like you boys. There’s nothin’ of the fresh, gabby kid about any of you. I’ll do it fer you, Skipper.” And the bargain was sealed with a warm grip between the two friends.
“There’s one thing I ought to speak about though,” said Jim, “and that is in regard to old Bill Broom, the pirate, who had the Sea Eagle before we took her. He is a revengeful old beggar and may make you trouble if he gets a chance.”
“I never really met Broom, though I came near it once,” remarked the old captain grimly, “but if he is wise, he won’t come bothering around me or the Sea Eagle either.”
“I expect old Pete will stay aboard and the boy,” said Jim, “so you won’t be without some company.”
“I’ve always got ‘Lyssus’ here,” grinned the captain, picking up the big tortoise shell that was purring around his legs. “I don’t want any better company than him.”
“He is a good old fellow,” said Jim, playfully nipping the cat’s ears with his fingers, “and a mighty good sailor, too.” Just then Jim chanced to look up, scanning the expanse of sea ahead, not with the expectation of seeing anything, but just force of habit. Immediately he straightened up and his gray eyes narrowed with interest.
“What is it, Skipper?” questioned the old captain, getting to his feet.
“It looks like smoke,” exclaimed Jim, “about three points on our starboard bow.”
“Maybe it’s a steamer,” said the captain. “We ought to be running across them now once in a while.”
“Possibly it’s a volcano,” suggested Jim.