United States or Papua New Guinea ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
It was more in the nature of a command than is usual between captain and mate. The girls felt this, as well as did the boys. But they said nothing. "Come along and see how we are progressing," continued Captain Brisco in more genial tones, as Jack Jepson left the cabin. "Then you are going to be ready in time?" asked Paul. "Ahead of time," said the commander, boastfully.
"Well, I heard Jack Jepson say the schooner was a pretty old one," replied the veteran actor. "So she is," said Mr. Pertell, "if she hadn't been, our company never could have afforded to buy her just to make a shipwreck of her. But she is perfectly safe for what traveling we shall do. Brisco has assured me of that, and has seen to it. What sort of a yarn was Jepson giving you?" and Mr.
Keep her about as she is," he ordered the steersman. "Aye, aye, sir!" was the respectful answer. Jack was already developing new qualities as a commander. "This is a distressing state of affairs," said Mr. DeVere. "Not as bad as it might be," Mr. Pertell answered. "There is a chance for us now. I never dreamed that Brisco was such a scoundrel."
Brisco and Lacomb plotted to get the schooner for themselves. They were not really going to endanger the lives of the passengers or crew, but their game was to only pretend to sink the ship, and to raise such an alarm that she would be hastily abandoned. Then they would come back to her later, salvage her, and use her for their own ends.
But Alice thought it was something. "Well, we haven't any need to speak to her," went on Captain Brisco. "We're going to anchor soon." "Anchor?" asked Jepson. "Yes, they want to take some of their pictures!" It was evident to Alice, from the tone of voice in which Captain Brisco spoke, that he had little sympathy with the work of the film actors.
"And I tell you that you are wrong!" snarled Captain Brisco. "I order you below!" "And I won't go, until I have told these people what is going on here!" retorted Jack Jepson. "If that isn't mutiny, I'd like to know what is," cried the captain.
"This is enough!" cried Mr. Pertell. "Jack, you're captain. Do what you like to insure the safety of us and the ship. Captain Brisco is no longer in command of this vessel," the manager went on to a wondering group of sailors. "I call for three cheers for Captain Jack Jepson!" They were given with a will, for evidently Jack was a favorite, and the deposed captain was not.
But oh, I daren't think of being in the water with all those sharks." "Don't talk that way!" said Paul in a sharp whisper, as he saw Ruth shrink back at the word "shark." Miss Pennington did not deign to answer, but she and her friend were soon struggling with the straps of a life preserver. At this moment Captain Brisco came down into the cabin.
There was plenty of extra film. "All aboard!" called Captain Brisco, and the gangplank was about to be hauled in. "All aboard! We won't wait for him!" he went on, speaking to the first mate and to Mr. Pertell who stood near him. "Won't wait for whom?" Alice heard Mr. Pertell ask. "A new hand I hired at the last minute. He's a good navigator, better than Jepson, and that's why I took him on.
There was some logic in that. Even Mr. Pertell, exercised as he was by the threatened danger to Russ, could appreciate that. "But we must do something," the manager repeated. "I'm doing all I can," Captain Brisco replied. "I'll shorten sail down to the minimum; that will keep us before the wind, and out of the trough of the sea! More I can't do. We must depend on them to pick us up.
Word Of The Day