As well as Jim could make out in the gloom, neither of the two men who
were managing the vessel was Hornblower.
"Where are we bound?" asked the prisoner, turning upon the one who
invited him to come out of the cabin.
"To the moon," was the unsatisfactory response.
Jim said no more, for he was afraid he might offend the fellow by pressing
his inquiries.
"I guess you'd better go below and sleep, for the likes of you ain't of
any use here."
The boy did as advised.
He saw no preparations for eating, but he was so wearied and anxious that
he felt little appetite; and, throwing himself in one of the hammocks, he
committed himself to the care of Heaven, and was soon asleep.
He never opened his eyes till roused by the smell of burning meat, and
looking up, saw one of the men cooking in the cabin, instead of on deck,
as it seemed to the lad ought to have been the case.
He now took a good survey of the countenances of the men. They did not
look particularly wicked, though both were hard and forbidding.
They paid scarcely any attention to the boy, but gave him to understand
that he was at liberty to eat if he wished.
Pages:
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135