"Be this the chap?" asked Tom.
"Yes; you may turn him loose, however."
The captain's teeth shone very white, so broad was the smile with which
he strove to conceal the scowl that had at first mantled his brow at
sight of Ralph.
"My boy," continued he, "you will not feel hurt when I tell you that
punctuality is one of the first requisites of success in the calling
you have chosen."
"I lost my way for a little while," began Ralph, but the captain
signified that the tardiness was pardoned already.
"You see we sail tonight on the flood," he added, "and we have yet much
to do. This is our boatswain or bos'n--as we call them--Mr. Bludson.
He will accompany you to the ship. Perhaps you will not mind assisting
him a little in seeing to some stores that are yet to go down. Tom,
you must be careful of young Granger. We already take a great interest
in his welfare."
Tom looked puzzled at first, but when the captain smiled once more he
seemed relieved. Evidently he understood that smile.
Ralph thought he did too, and he again felt that he was lucky in having
so kind hearted a captain.
After that Gary and Bludson conferred together over matters concerning
the ship, while Ralph twirled his cap and placed his bundle beside him
on the carpet. Some fifteen minutes might have thus passed, then the
boatswain straightened up, thrust some papers the captain had given him
into his hip pocket, and turned to the door.
"Now, youngster," said he, "we'll get sail.
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