Benson and Mr. Hastings on shore!"
"No, sir," replied the petty officer in charge.
Then one of the sailors in the boat spoke in an undertone.
"This man says, sir," continued the petty officer, "that he saw your
friends, sir, going aboard a white knockabout sloop."
"He did, eh?" demanded the astonished Eph. "How long ago was that?"
"Only a few minutes ago, sir," replied the sailor.
"You're sure you saw Mr. Benson and Mr. Hastings?"
"Yes, sir."
"That's queer," reflected Eph. "It wouldn't be like them to go sailing at
this time of the night, and without notifying me, either. But, then, I
didn't see anything of 'em aboard that sloop, either."
Eph was silent for a few moments, thinking. Then, suddenly, he leaped up
in the air, coming down flat-footed.
"Crackey!" ejaculated Eph Somers.
For a moment or two his face was a study in bewilderment.
"Mighty strange things have been happening all through this cruise," Eph
muttered, half-aloud. "Especially happening to Jack! Now, the two of them
go aboard that sloop, and immediately after the boat puts out to sea in
the dead of night. What if Jack and Hal have been shanghaied on that
infernal sloop?"
Cold chills began to chase each other up and down the spine of Eph Somers.
Pages:
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176