The walk was considerably longer than Jim expected, and the man acted as if he had lost his way.

He finally recovered himself, and, pausing where a number of all kinds of boats were gathered, he said that his schooner, the Simoon, lay on the outside, and was to be reached by passing over the decks of several other boats.
These lay so close, that there was no difficulty or danger in traveling over them, and they soon reached the deck of a trim-looking schooner, which was as silent and apparently as deserted as the tomb.

Reaching the cabin, a light was seen shining through the crevices, and Mr.Hornblower drew the small door aside, and invited his young companion to descend.
Jim did so, and found himself in an ordinary-looking cabin, quite well furnished, and supplied with a couple of hammocks.
A small stove was burning, and the temperature was exceedingly pleasant after the bleak air outside, where the raw wind blew strongly up the bay.
"I wouldn't want a better place than this to stay," said the delighted lad, taking a seat on a camp-stool.
"Then I'll let you stay a while." These strange words were uttered by the man who stood outside the door, looking in at the lad with an odd smile on his countenance.
"What do you mean ?" asked Jim, filled with a terrible fear.
"I mean just this: I want you to stay on the boat for the present.

If you keep quiet and do what is told you, you won't be hurt; but if you go to howling and kicking up a rumpus, you'll be knocked in the head and pitched overboard." "But tell me why you have brought me here ?" asked Jim, swallowing the lump in his throat, and looking pleadingly up to the cruel stranger.

"What do you want of me ?" "We want a big thing of you, as you'll learn before long; but you mustn't ask too many questions, nor try to get away, nor refuse to do what is told you.