The introductions were over, all had been comfortably seated, and some few minutes spent in desultory chat, when Hunt, addressing Max, who happened to be his nearest neighbor, asked in a low tone when the show was to begin.
Max smiled and there was a roguish twinkle in his eyes, while at the same instant a voice spoke from behind Hunt, “I say, young fellers in blue, what’s brung so many o’ ye aboard here to oncet?”
There was a simultaneous sudden start and turning of faces and eyes in the direction from which the sounds had come. But the speaker seemed to have instantly disappeared, and the momentary start was followed by a general hearty laugh.
“The captain’s invitation,” replied Hunt, while his eyes and those of the other lads turned upon Mr. Lilburn.
“All right then,” responded the same voice, seeming now to come from a more distant part of the deck; “he owns the yacht and kin ask anybody he’s mind to.”
“Of course,” said Hunt, “and it was very kind in him to ask us. Did he invite you also, sir?”
“None o’ your business,” came in reply in a surly tone.
“Truly a gentlemanly reply,” laughed Hunt. “One might readily infer from it that you were not here by invitation.”
“What do you mean by that, sir?” demanded, the invisible speaker, in loud, angry tones.
“That your conduct and speech proclaim you no gentleman, while Captain Raymond is decidedly such.”
“Come, come, friends, don’t let us have any quarrelling here,” came in pleasant tones from the other side of the vessel.
“Now who are you, sir? This isn’t your fight, and you’d better keep out of it,” returned the first voice; “your interference will be asked for when it’s wanted.”
The lads exchanged looks of surprise and one of them asked:
“Are you doing it all, Mr. Lilburn, sir?”
“Ah ha, ah ha! um h’m, ah ha! so you think ’twas I, young sirs!” exclaimed the old gentleman in pretended astonishment. “And why so? Did the voices issue from my lips?”
“I cannot assert positively that they did, sir,” returned Hunt, “but they seemed to come from an invisible speaker, and knowing you to be a ventriloquist, we think it can all be accounted for in that way.”
“Knowing me to be a ventriloquist, eh, laddie! And may I ask how you came by that same knowledge?”