"
Relieved at escaping from an embarrassing situation, I jumped up so
promptly that my knife fell with a clatter, and hastened on deck, calling
"Ay, ay," to the man who had summoned me. I knew very well why I was wanted
aft.
Mr. Falk, who was on duty on the quarter-deck, completely ignored me as I
passed him and went down the companionway.
"At least," I thought, "he can't come below now."
The steward, when I appeared, raised his eyebrows and almost dropped his
tray; then he paused in the door, inconspicuously, as if to linger. But
Captain Whidden glanced round and dismissed him by a sharp nod, and I found
myself alone in the cabin with the captain, Mr. Thomas, and Roger Hamlin.
"I understand there's news forward, Lathrop," said Captain Whidden.
Roger looked at me with that humorous, exasperating twinkle of his eyes,--I
thought of my sister and of how she had looked when she learned that he was
to sail for Canton,--and Mr. Thomas folded his arms and leaned back in his
chair.
"Yes, sir," I replied, "although it seems pretty unimportant to be worth
much as news."
"Tell us about it."
To all that I had gathered from Bill Hayden I added what I had learned by
my own observations, and it seemed to interest them, although for my own
part I doubted whether it was of much account.
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