John pulled it up on a rope to the top of the mast.
'but what land do you think it'll be?'asked Roger.'and what language will the pilot speak?'
'i know a little French,'said John,'but not much.'
'john,'said susan suddenly,'do you remember what jim said about people having to pay a lot of money if they need help at sea?what will happen if the pilot realizes that we're only children and that we don't know where we are?perhaps he'll take the Goblin away and jim will have to pay a lot of money to get her back.'
'but Jim hasn't got a lot of money,'said Titty.'he told us.perhaps we'd better not have a pilot after all.'
'we must have one, 'said susan,'because we have to get into a harbour safely and send a telegram to mother.'
they were now quite near the pilot ship and a small rowing boat was coming from it towards the Goblin.
'look,'said .john.'there's only one thing to do.we mustn't let the pilot think there are only children aboard.
we've got to pretend that everything is perfectly normal.I'll stay up here and steer,and you all go down into the cabin and shut the door.'
'do we pretend not to be there?'asked Titty.
'no.no,'said John.'make a noise-a lot of adult kind of noise,so that the pilot thinks there's a captain and a crew in the cabin.'
'shall I play my whistle?'asked Roger hopefull.usually the others told him to be quiet when he played his whistle.