Page:Barbour--For the freedom from the seas.djvu/46

 'em jump I What's on the luff's mind today, do you think?"

"I don't know," replied Nelson. "We're making for New Bedford, though. There was a lot of sizzling in the radio room an hour ago."

"Maybe someone saw a porpoise," hazarded Staples. "And this is what I left a happy home for! Well, it's a line, free life, with nothing to do but work. There, if anyone finds any rust on that gun it won't be my fault. Isn't it most time for grub?"

"Pretty near, but I guess they'll wait till we're at anchor."

"Great Scott! What's the the big idea? Don't they know I'm hungrier than a shark? Anchored be blowed! Why, that'll be the middle of the afternoon!"

"Not at this rate, Lanky. We're doing twenty and New Bedford's only about thirty-five miles."

"Yeah, and it's seven bells now," replied Staples disconsolately. "Some folks haven't any heart at all. I'm so near starved I could eat that grease!"

"I guess that would fetch about five dollars in Germany," said Nelson, "if what we hear is so. They'd probably butter their bread with it." 24