t, not caring what ship they were on
or where they were going. Everybody was busy with the wreckage, so
they were left almost entirely to themselves.

Tom was the first to get up, and going on deck found that the storm
had cleared away and that the sun was shining brightly. Without delay
he halted a sailor who happened to be passing.

"What ship is this?" he questioned.

"Dis ship da _Golden Wave_," replied the sailor, who was a Norwegian.

"And where are you bound?"

"Da ship sail for Australia."

"Great Scott! Australia!" gasped Tom. "This is the worst yet."

"What's up, Tom?" asked Sam, who had followed his brother.

"This sailor tells me this ship is bound for Australia."

"Why, that is thousands of miles away!"

"I know it."

"If we go to Australia, we'll never get back."

"Not quite as bad as that, Sam. But we certainly don't want to go to
Australia."

"Who is the captain?"

"Captain Blossom," replied the sailor. "Where is he?"

The sailor said he would take them to the captain and did so. He
proved to be a burly fellow with rather a sober-looking face.

"Got around at last, eh?" he said, eying Tom and Sam shrewdly.

"We have, and we must thank you for rescuing us," replied Tom.

"That's all right."

"One of your sailors tells me you are bound for Australia," put in Sam.

"He told you the truth."

"Won't you stop at some port in the Hawaiian Islands?"

"No."

"But you might put us off."

"Can't spare the time. As it is, this storm blew me away out of my
course," answered Captain Blossom.

He had a twofold reason for not putting them ashore at or near
Honolulu. It would not only take time, but it might also lead to
questioning concerning the fate of the steamer, and he was afraid he
would be hauled into some marine court for running into the Tacoma,
for that was what he had done.

"Do you know anything about the steamer?" asked Sam.

"No, she got away from us in the darkness, after we hauled seven of
you aboard."

"The steamer lost some of her crew," said Tom, shuddering. "Did you
lose any men?"

"One sailor, and one of my passengers got hurt in the leg by the
collision."

By this time Dick joined the party, followed by old Jerry and the
three girls.

"Will the captain carry us away to Australia?" asked Dora, when the
situation was explained.

"I suppose so," said Dick soberly. "If I had some money I might buy
him off, but I haven't a dollar. What little I did have I left