"And that was a bad omen?"

"Bad! It was--ah--er--frightful! Old sailors will tell you that.
Always--er--let a cat remain on board a vessel--if--she--comes on board.
If you--if you do not--you will regret it."

"And you think something must happen to this steamer?"

"I'm afraid so--I feel it. There is--something mysterious about the
vessel, gentlemen. I don't know--just what it is--but it's something.
The--the captain looks worried. I--I've noticed it. I've talked with
him. Couldn't get any satisfaction--out of him. But I--I know!"

"I'm afraid you are a croaker," said Diamond, unable to keep still
longer.

"You may think so--now; but wait and see--wait. Keep your eyes--open.
I--I think you will see something. I think you will find there
are--mysterious things going on."

"Well, you have not told us what you want of us, Mr. Slush," said Frank.

"That's so--forgot it." Then, of a sudden, to Bruce: "Don't twirl your
thumbs--that way. Do it backward--backward! It--it's a sure sign
of--disaster to twirl your thumbs--forward."

"All right," grunted the big fellow; "backward it is." And he reversed
the motion.