There was a general laugh, in which even the professor joined, for he loved a joke as well as any of them. “You know I was speaking metaphorically, Dartworth. Of course I cannot look ahead, but I sincerely trust that you do what you can to keep out of danger in the future. If you do not, I’ll have to call this tour off and take you all home.” “We’ll be as good as mice watched by a cat,” put in Frank, and this caused another laugh; and then the subject was changed and soon the group separated, each person bent on making himself comfortable in his own way. But the _Chester_ was not a comfortable ship, as Mark and Frank soon learned by a tour from stem to stern. And they also learned another thing,--that the captain, Jason Sudlip, was anything but an agreeable man. “Hi, you, I don’t allow passengers in there,” they heard the captain cry, while they were peering into the chart room. “You boys must stay where you belong while you are on this ship.” “We weren’t going to touch anything, Captain,” replied Mark, pleasantly, although he did not like the way in which he was being addressed. “Oh, I know boys--into everything they have no business in,” retorted Captain Sudlip. “I’ve had them on board before. You’ll have to stay where you belong.” And he slammed and locked the door of the chart room in their faces. “He’s real sweet, isn’t he?” said Frank, as they walked to the saloon deck. “I’m glad I don’t work under him. I wouldn’t be a hand on this steamer for ten dollars a day. I’ll be glad when our trip on her is ended.” Professor Strong had noticed the captain’s harsh manner to those under him, but he said nothing, for in his travels he had met many a captain just as harsh and some of them had been positively brutal. Dinner was served at five o’clock, and when the boys came to the table with their hearty appetites--nobody had as yet had a chance to get seasick,--they looked at what was set before them by January Jones with dismay. “This is awful!” whispered Darry to Sam. “This soup is regular dish-water.” “I can’t eat such soup,” returned Sam. “I hope the meat and vegetables are better.” “Sorry, sah, but it’s de best de ship affords, sah,” said January Jones, who saw that they were not suited. “De cap’n am a werry close buyer, sah,” he added, in a lower voice. “Can’t git nuffin cheap enough.” The meat was tough and there was hardly sufficient to go around, while the vegetables, brought on board the day before, were far from fresh. The bread was also poor, and the coffee of the lowest grade. For dessert there was a rice pudding which, according to Darry, “was just like a chunk of dirty rubber.” Professor Strong saw that the boys were on the point of open rebellion, but he shook his head at them. “Make the best of it,” he said. “I will see the captain about it later and find out if the service cannot be improved.”