there was nothing ahead but delightful adventure.
Now he wondered about Captain Ike. He wondered about the rough fellow named Crab. He wondered about Omo - being from the South Seas, might he not have picked up some information about the professor’s experiment?
‘What’s eating you?’ demanded Roger, noting his brother’s worried look.
Hal laughed. He wouldn’t worry Roger with his ill-founded fears. ‘Just wondering if we were going to have a change in the weather. See that cloud?’
‘It looks as if it meant business,’ said Roger, looking up at the black cloud passing above. Presently a few drops fell.
‘Rain!’ exclaimed Hal. ‘That means a bath to me. Here goes to get off some of that sweaty dirt I put on in the city.’
He dashed down into the cabin and came up a few moments later stripped naked, with a cake of soap in his hand.
As the raindrops wet his skin he vigorously soaped himself all over until he was covered with a white lather from head to foot. He waited for the rain to increase in volume and wash him clean.
Instead, the rain ceased abruptly. The black cloud passed over and not another drop was squeezed out of it Hal stood like a pillar of soap, waiting patiently, and considerably embarrassed under the gaze of the captain and crew. He consoled himself with the thought that there were no ladies on board and none within dozens of miles.
But his mischievous younger brother, much amused, had a sudden flash of inspiration. He went down to the storeroom and opened the slop chest. He had already seen a woman’s dress and hat in this chest and when he had asked about them the captain had explained that his wife sometimes accompanied him on his voyages.
Roger hastily slipped the dress on oyer his shirt and slacks. It was big enough for a couple of boys his size. The hat was fortunately very large and droopy, effectively concealing most of his face.
Hal knew that Captain Flint’s wife often went along but it had been distinctly understood that this time she would stay home. So he was completely stunned when he saw a female figure rise from the cabin companionway and step out on deck.
He looked for a place of hiding and made a move to get behind the mainmast. At the same moment the lady saw him and the sight was too much for her delicate sensibilities. She screamed to high heaven and fell face downward on the deck.
The poor soul, she had fainted! She might even have killed herself striking her head on the deck. Hal forgot his embarrassment. He ran to her aid, soapsuds flying. He lifted the limp form. He pushed back the big hat and looked into the face of Roger who burst into a mighty guffaw in which he was joined by the captain and Crab.
Laughing always made Roger weak. Hal took advantage of that weakness. He draped his impish brother over his soapy knee and administered a sound spanking. Roger quit laughing. Hal might have known that that
was a sign of more mischief. Only a low rail stood between the deck and the sea. Roger pretended not to have a muscle in his body. But his drooping hands were close to Hal’s foot.
Suddenly he clutched the foot, reared up, and heaved his brother into the ocean.
‘Enough of that nonsense,’ bawled the captain as he threw the wheel hard over and smartly brought the ship about. He crawled up on the starboard tack, close-hauled, to where Hal, now quite unsoaped, lazily splashed in the water. As the ship bore up to him, Hal reached for the bobstay that held the bowsprit to the stem, and clambered aboard.
His skin tingled with the shock of the cold water. ‘Thanks a million, Roger,’ he said. ‘That was grand.’
He went down and dressed. The fun with Roger and the cold bath that had ended it had restored his high spirits. If there was any menace waiting at the end of the downhill run he felt he would be a match for it.
Chapter 4
Mysteries of the deep
It was night on deck and there was no lantern near enough to read by. And yet Hal was reading.
His
Now he wondered about Captain Ike. He wondered about the rough fellow named Crab. He wondered about Omo - being from the South Seas, might he not have picked up some information about the professor’s experiment?
‘What’s eating you?’ demanded Roger, noting his brother’s worried look.
Hal laughed. He wouldn’t worry Roger with his ill-founded fears. ‘Just wondering if we were going to have a change in the weather. See that cloud?’
‘It looks as if it meant business,’ said Roger, looking up at the black cloud passing above. Presently a few drops fell.
‘Rain!’ exclaimed Hal. ‘That means a bath to me. Here goes to get off some of that sweaty dirt I put on in the city.’
He dashed down into the cabin and came up a few moments later stripped naked, with a cake of soap in his hand.
As the raindrops wet his skin he vigorously soaped himself all over until he was covered with a white lather from head to foot. He waited for the rain to increase in volume and wash him clean.
Instead, the rain ceased abruptly. The black cloud passed over and not another drop was squeezed out of it Hal stood like a pillar of soap, waiting patiently, and considerably embarrassed under the gaze of the captain and crew. He consoled himself with the thought that there were no ladies on board and none within dozens of miles.
But his mischievous younger brother, much amused, had a sudden flash of inspiration. He went down to the storeroom and opened the slop chest. He had already seen a woman’s dress and hat in this chest and when he had asked about them the captain had explained that his wife sometimes accompanied him on his voyages.
Roger hastily slipped the dress on oyer his shirt and slacks. It was big enough for a couple of boys his size. The hat was fortunately very large and droopy, effectively concealing most of his face.
Hal knew that Captain Flint’s wife often went along but it had been distinctly understood that this time she would stay home. So he was completely stunned when he saw a female figure rise from the cabin companionway and step out on deck.
He looked for a place of hiding and made a move to get behind the mainmast. At the same moment the lady saw him and the sight was too much for her delicate sensibilities. She screamed to high heaven and fell face downward on the deck.
The poor soul, she had fainted! She might even have killed herself striking her head on the deck. Hal forgot his embarrassment. He ran to her aid, soapsuds flying. He lifted the limp form. He pushed back the big hat and looked into the face of Roger who burst into a mighty guffaw in which he was joined by the captain and Crab.
Laughing always made Roger weak. Hal took advantage of that weakness. He draped his impish brother over his soapy knee and administered a sound spanking. Roger quit laughing. Hal might have known that that
was a sign of more mischief. Only a low rail stood between the deck and the sea. Roger pretended not to have a muscle in his body. But his drooping hands were close to Hal’s foot.
Suddenly he clutched the foot, reared up, and heaved his brother into the ocean.
‘Enough of that nonsense,’ bawled the captain as he threw the wheel hard over and smartly brought the ship about. He crawled up on the starboard tack, close-hauled, to where Hal, now quite unsoaped, lazily splashed in the water. As the ship bore up to him, Hal reached for the bobstay that held the bowsprit to the stem, and clambered aboard.
His skin tingled with the shock of the cold water. ‘Thanks a million, Roger,’ he said. ‘That was grand.’
He went down and dressed. The fun with Roger and the cold bath that had ended it had restored his high spirits. If there was any menace waiting at the end of the downhill run he felt he would be a match for it.
Chapter 4
Mysteries of the deep
It was night on deck and there was no lantern near enough to read by. And yet Hal was reading.
His
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