“Lose the ship?” queried Professor Strong. “What do you mean? We expect to be back before three o’clock.” “De ship am gwine to sail at one o’clock, sah.” “One o’clock!” came from all of the others. And then the boys looked at the professor inquiringly. “Captain Sudlip told me he would sail at three o’clock,” said Professor Strong. “I asked him twice to make sure.” “I ’spect he did, sah, but I heard him tell de mate dat dey must sail promptly at one o’clock, sah--dat he wouldn’t wait fo’ nobody, sah.” “It’s a trick to leave us behind!” burst out Mark. “He has our money and that is all he cares.” “But he told me three o’clock,” persisted the professor. “Although I have no witness to that fact!” he added, suddenly, a light breaking in on him. “Then that is where he has us foul!” came from Frank. “It’s a good thing January told us this,” he continued, and gave the negro a grateful look. “Tole yo’ I would do sumt’ing if I got de chance,” said the negro, with a grin. “All aboard!” called the train porter. “We are not going,” answered Professor Strong; and a minute later the train was off. “Yo’ see it was dis way,” continued January Jones, as they walked away from the station. “I heard one ob yo’ young gen’men tell de udder ’bout gitting back befo’ three o’clock. Den when I heard what Cap’n Sudlip said to de mate I knowed sumt’ing was wrong. So I made up my mind to dun tole yo’. I went to de hotel fust an’ dey tole me to come heah.” “We’ll not forget your kindness,” said Professor Strong. “It was certainly a mean trick on Captain Sudlip’s part and I shall tell him so. Of course if we had been left I could not have brought suit against him for damages, since I have no witness to prove that he said he would sail at three o’clock.” “Tell yo’, sah, I’se mighty sick ob workin’ fo’ dat man, sah,” observed January, with a shake of his woolly head. “I’d leave de ship heah, only dis ain’t much ob a place.” “No, I would advise you to remain until you reach Havana,” answered Professor Strong. “I have a number of friends in that city and perhaps I can get you something to do there.” This pleased January Jones greatly, and he promised to do what he could for them so long as they were together. As there was nothing much to do at present, they walked back to the hotel, where they procured dinner. In the meantime the negro, who had been sent ashore on an errand, hurried back to the steamer with all speed. At quarter to one o’clock Captain Sudlip came on deck and looked around him anxiously. He was all ready to sail and so far had seen nothing of his five passengers. He gazed ashore but not one of them was in sight.