“Oh, I don’t care to see them--at least, not if there is any danger of their shooting off,” added the tall youth, hastily, and in such a manner that the others could scarcely keep from laughing. “We will try to avoid all eruptions,” replied the professor, smiling, for even he did not dream of what was so close at hand. The boys found Captain Danvier just as sociable as Amos Strong had pictured him, and the worthy commander of the _Vendee_ gave them permission to roam over the steamer at will. He could speak English fairly well and took a delight in explaining his nautical instruments and other things to them. “’Tis verra nice for you to do ze traveling around,” he said. “And wid such a learned gentlemans as ze professair it is von double pleasure. He is ze fine gentlemans, I know heem well.” “And so do we know him,” answered Darry. “He’s O. K.” “O. K. Vot you means by zat?” “Oh, I mean he is just the cheese,” said Darry, bound to have his fun. The French captain looked more bewildered than ever. “De cheese? Ha, you mean de cheese to eat--de _caise_. But you no mean to eat him, no.” “No, I mean he is just the ticket.” “De ticket, vot is dat? De _carte_, eh? How is de professair de _carte_?” “I didn’t say the professor was a card--or a bill of fare either. I mean he is just all right.” “All right? Ha, I see--_oui, oui_! Surely he is all right, de professair is nevair wrong. But while he is right how can he be de ticket and de cheese, and de O. K.? Dat Englis as she is spoke by de American is von verra funny language, yes!” And the French captain shrugged his shoulders, while Darry and the other boys had to turn away to keep from laughing in the good-hearted man’s face. But when Darry and Mark tried to air the little French they knew before Captain Danvier he laughed as heartily as they did. CHAPTER XXV A COLLISION AT SEA On the second day on shipboard Professor Strong produced a map of the Leeward Islands, and told the boys something more concerning the island they were to visit. “As you will see by the map,” he said, “Martinique is irregular in shape. Roughly speaking it is forty miles long by from ten to fifteen miles wide. The area is less than four hundred square miles, and a good portion of this is rocky and unfit for cultivation.” “I see Mont Pelee, in the north,” said Mark, studying the map. “The principal cities are Fort de France, the capital, located on the bay of the same name, and St. Pierre and Lamentin. These three cities are, as you see, located on the western coast of the island. On the eastern coast is François, a town which has quite a respectable shipping. The total population of the island is about two hundred thousand, mostly negroes, half-castes, and French.” “What do they raise there?” came from Sam.