Jack paused suddenly. The glass went to his eye, and he called out:
"Two points off on the lee bow. She's a small steamer, and she--she's flying the British flag!" added the old man.
A strange look of fear came over his face.
"What's this?" demanded Captain Brisco, coming on deck just then. "What's up?"
"Sail ho!" repeated Jack Jepson. "Over there, Captain!" and he pointed, and extended the telescope. Alice noticed that the hand of the old salt trembled, though usually he was as steady as the proverbial surgeon.
"Hum! Yes. One of the English revenue ships," remarked Captain Brisco. "It's the first one we've met down here."
"It is a British vessel, isn't it?" asked Jack Jepson, and there was a queer strain in his voice.
"Yes," replied his superior. "What of it?"
"Well, we haven't any need to speak to her," went on Captain Brisco. "We're going to anchor soon."
"Yes, they want to take some of their pictures!" It was evident to Alice, from the tone of voice in which Captain Brisco spoke, that he had little sympathy with the work of the film actors. But he had been hired to do his part with the ship, and must carry out his agreement with Mr. Pertell.
The captain handed back the glass, and went to consult with the manager about making a landing. They were near several small islands, any one of which would probably do as a background for some of the picture-play scenes.
Left to himself Jack Jepson took another long look at the oncoming steamer.
"Yes, she's a lime-juicer," he remarked, and something like a sigh escaped him.
"A--a lime-juicer?" repeated Alice in some surprise. "I thought you said she was a _steamer_."
"So she is. But we old sailors used to call all British ships 'lime-juicers,' because they used to be the only ones that was compelled by law to carry lime juice."
"To prevent scurvy, Miss. Lime juice, potatoes or anything like that will keep sailors from the scurvy disease, Miss. They found it out, the Britishers did, and made their ships carry such stuff. Lime juice is easier to stow away than potatoes, and every sailor had to have his share.
"Scurvy is a bad disease, Miss. It's terrible, and though lots of fun was made of the lime juice British ships, they done their duty, Miss. It got so other nations had to fall into line. And, though lime juice isn't as needful as it was, 'cause they have other things that do as well, perhaps, I always think of a Britisher as a lime-juicer."