The first mate nodded and smiled.

A little later, as Bob was watching the men coil up the big hawser which the tug had cast off, the _Eagle_ now proceeding along under her own sails, one of the sailors stepped up to him.
"Would you mind doing us a favor ?" he asked respectfully.
"Of course not.

I'll do anything I can for you," answered Bob, glad to make the closer acquaintance of the men.
"Then would you kindly go to Captain Spark and ask him for a left-handed marlinspike?
We need it to splice this hawser with.
He keeps it in his cabin because there's only one on board and it's quite a valuable instrument." The man spoke as gravely as a judge.
"A left-handed marlinspike ?" repeated Bob.

"I suppose one of the sailors must be left-handed," he thought.
He knew what a marlinspike was from having seen the men use the sharp-pointed irons to pick apart the strands of rope preparatory to splicing, so, anxious to be of service, he hurried to Captain Spark's cabin.
"The men sent me for a left-handed marlinspike," he said, interrupting the commander, who was busy over his accounts.
"A left-handed marlinspike," repeated the commander, at once understanding the joke.
"Yes, sir." "I'm sorry," was the answer, gravely given, "but I lost it overboard a while ago.

You'd better go to Mr.Carr and ask him for the scuttle-butt.