"I see you've had a rough time of it," said Baxter, coming forward
coolly. "How are you?"
He shook hands with Captain Blossom, while the Rover boys continued
to stare at him.
"Are you alone?" asked the master of the _Golden Wave_.
"No, Jack Lesher is with me, and we left nine of the sailors on
another island."
"Is that so? Where is Lesher now?"
"In the house, asleep."
"He is intoxicated," said Nellie. "We has been drinking ever since
he put in an appearance."
"Humph! That's like Lesher," muttered the captain, and his brow darkened.
All moved toward the house, and entered to get out of the wet. The
mate was still at the table, snoring loudly.
"Might as well let him sleep it off," said the captain. "But when he
is sober I'll have a talk with him."
Wet clothing was changed for dry, and then the captain and the boys
listened to what Baxter and the girls had to tell. The captain was
glad to learn that so many of his men had been saved, and asked for
the names.
"I don't care much about Peterson and McGlow," he said. "They are
tough customers. I would rather have heard from Peabody, Dickson,
and Fearwell. You don't know anything about them?"
"No," said Dan Baxter.
"This news about Dick and old Jerry worries me," said Tom.
"Dan Baxter, I think you know more than you care to tell," said Sam
boldly.
The bully hardly knew how to reply. He could not now fall back on
Jack Lesher for support, and he had thought to be on his way to
rejoin the sailors ere this.
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