"
The lad ran down the plank and deposited the boatswain's jacket and his
bundle in the helmsman's closet, then made his way back and took hold
of the incoming freight with a will.
In half an hour the stores were on board, and the tug, casting loose,
began to steam swiftly down the river.
It being Ralph's first experience afloat, the swift, gliding motion and
the noisy engine interested him greatly. The novelty was, in its way,
as exciting as his first car ride.
"What is it makes things go?" he asked of Bludson, who was sprawled
upon a coil of cable, smoking a short black pipe.
"The ingine and the propeller, ye lubber," replied the latter. "Did 'e
think it was wings?"
"But what is a propeller?"
"Ah! The ign'erance of land folks! It do beat all. The
propeller--why the propeller is a propeller, of course. What else did
'e think it were."
"I know, but----"
"Now look here, youngster. Watching is one thing and always wanting to
know is another. Stow your gaff, as I said afore, and use your
peepers."
After this rebuff Ralph asked no more questions of his superior, but he
faithfully obeyed the injunction as to "keeping a bright lookout."
CHAPTER XI.
Aboard the Curlew.
They steamed along between low marshy banks for an hour or two, then
the river began to widen into an irregularly shaped bay. Sundry low
lying islands, covered with strange semi-tropic vegetation, rose up
seaward, and by and by a sound as of muffled thunder could be heard.
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