Page:Cruise of the Dry Dock.djvu/267

 Say!” he said hoarsely. “You don't mean to say you ain't caught? You don't mean you run th' tug up 'ere an' boarded us! You don't mean——” He turned and whispered hoarsely inside: “It's th' lads off th' dock, though 'ow they got 'ere, an' w'ot they're—douse th' light, some o' you fellows.”

A stifled consternation seized the card players, who crowded up to the port. A moment later all the lights were snapped out one after another.

“Tell us who there was to catch us,” begged Leonard in a whisper.

“Who? W'y a German warship, that's who! One caught us—an' Cap Cleghorne. Caught th' Cap away hup on th' Newfoundland Banks. Caught us first day——”

“Why should a German warship capture us!” demanded Leonard in a voice that threatened to rise in excitement.

“Quiet! Quiet! 'Eavens, lad! Don't you know? Ain't you 'eard? W'y it's war! War! War's broke out all over th' world! Everyw'ere! Ever'body!”

“War!” gasped Madden.