6 THE BOY CAPTAIN.

we took ’’em aboard. More’n as likely’s not they ve run
away from the ship at Hong Kong, though why they
should have hailed us to be carried back to the same port
is more’n I can figger out. ‘Cause why? ’Cause they
would be nabbed the minute we arrived.”

The first officer might have continued to argue with
himself for Ben’s edification, as to why there should be
no reliance placed in the story of either of the alleged
shipwrecked men, but for the fact that the boy, tiring of
such dry detail and prosy speculation, determined to seek
information for himself among those who had been taken
on board.

This was not as easy of execution as one might fancy.

The second mate had learned that his companions were
not giving the same account of the supposed disaster as
himself, and was now doing his best to prevent them
from talking with the Sportsman’s crew.

The rescued ones were neither hungry nor sleepy,
although some of them professed to be suffering from
lack of rest and food.

The unconsumed provisions in the boat gave the lie to
one story, and their general appearance most emphatically
denied the other; yet he who called himself their second
mate insisted the entire party should be allowed to “turn
in” until they had recovered from the effects of exposure
and privation.

“Let ’em bunk ’round the deck anywhere,” the first
officer said when Ben went aft in response to the ship-
wrecked mate’s request, to ask if they could be allowed