Part 30 (1/2)

”Don't build too much on it,” interposed Jack.

”It may be only a sailor's yarn.”

”It's all true, what I'm tellin' you, boss!” exclaimed the negro.

”Oh, I don't doubt your word,” said Jack, quickly. ”But let's get aboard the boat before we talk any further.”

Aboard the Tartar, seated in her cozy cabin, the story of Slim Jim seemed to take on added significance. He told it, too, with a due regard for its importance--especially to him--in the matter of what money it might bring to him.

In brief, his ”yarn” was about as I have indicated, in the brief talk with Jack. Jim and his mates had been on a protracted fis.h.i.+ng trip, and had run short of water. One of the number knew of a lonely and uninhabited island near where they were then cruising--an island that contained a spring of good water.

They were headed for the place, but when they were about to land, they had been alarmed by the appearance of what at first was supposed to be some wild beast.

”He crawled on all fours, Missie,” said Slim Jim, addressing Cora with such earnestness that she could not repress a s.h.i.+ver. ”He crawled on all fours like some bloomin' beastie, begging your pardon, Missie. We was all fair scared, an' sheered orf.”

”Then how did you get the cap?” asked Walter.

”He chucked the blessed cap to us, sir!” Jim appeared to have a different appellation for each member of the party. ”Chucked it right into the water, sir. I picked it up.”

”What else did he do?” asked Cora.

”He behaved somethin' queer, Missie. Runnin' up and down, not on four legs--meanin' his hands, Missie--and now on two. Fair nutty I'd call him.”

”Poor fellow,” murmured Bess.

”And is that all that happened?” demanded Walter.

”Well, about all, sir. I picked up the cap, and we rowed away. We thought we'd better go dry, sir, in the manner of speakin', instead of facin' that chap. He was fair crazy, sir.”

”Did he look like a sailor?” Jack wanted to know.

”Well, no, boss, you couldn't rightly say so, boss. He took on somethin' terrible when we sheered off an' left 'im.”

”And that's all?” inquired Belle, in a low voice.

”Yes--er--little lady,” answered Slim Jim, finding a new t.i.tle for fair Belle. ”That's all, little lady, 'cept that I kept th' cap, not thinkin' much about it, until I heard you gentlemen inquirin' for news of the Ramona. I heard some one spell out that there name in these letters for me,” and he indicated the name on the cap. ”Then I spoke to you, boss.”

”Yes, and I'm glad you did,” said Jack.

”'Why?” began Cora. ”Do you think--”

”I think it's barely possible that one of the sailors from the Ramona is marooned on that lonely island,” interrupted Jack. ”He may be the only one, or there may be more. We'll have to find out. Can you take us to this island?” he asked Slim Jim.

”The lonely island?”

”Yes.”

”I rackon so, boss, if you was to hire me, in the manner of speakin'”