"And it happens
that the boat my good old friend is master of is due to sail from New
York the day after to-morrow. We'll go on that as stowaways."
Then, seeing the look of astonishment and also bewilderment that came
into the faces of his hearers, he went on to explain further.
"Of course I don't use that word in the usual sense of getting aboard
unknown to any of the officers, perhaps through the complicity of a
member of the crew, and hiding ourselves among the cargo. Such stowaways
are a scarcity nowadays, the peril of torpedoes having given them cold
feet. But I believe I can fix it with my friend the captain so that
he'll allow us to remain aboard without our names appearing on the
passenger list."
"Sounds good to me," asserted Jack, while Tom said thoughtfully:
"I suppose we could stick to our staterooms during the day, and only go
on deck late at night, when nearly everybody was asleep. Like as not,
there'd be quite a number of army officers aboard, so we mightn't be
noticed if any one ran against us while taking the air at night."
Accordingly this plan was settled upon; and as they were not absolutely
certain about the time of sailing, with much still to be done before
that event took place, once again did Tom and Jack have to bid their
relatives good-bye.
"It'll not be for so very long now, let's hope," said Tom's father, as he
squeezed his son's hand at parting; "for Germany is on her last legs, and
unless all signs fail the war must soon come to an end.
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