"Mutiny! What do you mean?" demanded Mr. Pertell, a little startled by
the action of the old sailor.

"That's just what I mean, sir! Oh, I forgot you don't know. But I told
these young ladies about me being in a mutiny, an' I'm under suspicion
in connection with it still. I can't go in an English port, and that's a
nice blight to put on a man!" he said indignantly.

Mr. Pertell looked bewildered.

"Perhaps I can explain," said Ruth, "and if I go wrong, Jack, please
correct me."

"That I will, Miss!" he exclaimed.

Thereupon Ruth told the whole story, much more connectedly, and more
briefly, than would have been possible for the old salt. But Ruth had
the knack of condensing a long scenario into a few words.

"Was that it?" she asked Jack, when she had finished.

"That's it, Miss, an' you did me more credit in the story than I
deserved."

"Oh, no I didn't," Ruth said, smiling. "I'd like to help you solve that
mystery, too--the mystery of the disappearance of the captain and Mike
Tullane."

"That's it!" cried Jack. "If I could only find one of them, or if some