Part 21 (1/2)

”There it is again, right astern!”

”Nonsense, boy!” said the captain;--”iination We should have heard it too Pull, ed at their oars, and Steve sank down in his place feeling abashed, but perfectly certain all the same that he had heard the whistle At the end of a few minutes the captain said kindly:

”It's very easy to be deceived, my lad, and to fancy we hear that which ish to hear Johannes, come aft here, and cast off this little fish We shall have enough to do without towing it”

”Cast it off, sir?” said the reat knife slowly

”Yes; it is too heavy to drag Well, why do you hesitate?”

”I was thinking, sir”

”Well, think afterwards Don't cut the rope; you can untie it”

”Yes, sir,” said the man slowly; and in a voice which did not reach the others, ”but had I not better tell you what I was thinking first?”

”Well, go on,” said the captain shortly

”We ave quite a start, for there was so estive as they were of their being starving in the open boat, and he sat there gazing full in the man's eyes

”You think, then, that we ood God only knows,” said the Norse off his cap ”We are in His hands; but it is our duty to provide for the worst”

”Yes,” said the captain slowly, ”you are quite right, myup again ”I'rily, as he turned sharply on the boy

”Yes, I heard it then,” said Johannes slowly, as he held his hands behind his ears and leaned toward the stern

”You heard it?”

”Yes; there again Listen, captain”

”I hear nothing”

”No, it has stopped now”

Captain Marshaesture

”There!” cried Steve excitedly

”Yes, there!” said Johannes ”You heard it then, sir?”

”No,” said the captain after a few”You ravely, ”I am not mistaken; that was a steamer's whistle”