Page:Cruise of the Dry Dock.djvu/153

 half costumes stood listening intently until it chucked into the sea below. All three seemed to feel relief at the sound.

“That's all right, Caradoc,” said Madden with a note of comfort in his voice, “all right, old chap. It won't be like this always.”

“I was unstrung—rotten heat,” grumbled the Englishman in acute self-disgust. “I thought I was getting over all—” he shifted the topic suddenly: “What do you make out of all this?”

“Completest mystery I ever ran into—the crew deserted for some reason——”

“And they had a feast and a celebration before they went. What cause of rejoicing they discovered in this place is more than I can fancy.”

An inspection showed Smith was correct. What the boys had taken for bloodstains in their first excitement were splashes of wine. The table was still laden with dishes and eatables. Broken glass around the table showed that the diners had followed the old custom of breaking their goblets after toasts.

“They were having a last square meal before