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And Tom stepped up and looked the mate squarely in the eyes. "What! you dare to dictate to me!" roared the mate, and raised his hand as if to strike Tom. He thought the youth would retreat in fear, but Tom never budged. "I am not trying to dictate, but I have rights as well as you. I want that ball." "You can't have it." "If you don't give it to me I shall report the matter to Captain Barforth."
Rover and Captain Barforth held a consultation, and it was decided that the search for the treasure cave should begin in earnest at daybreak. "I do not think the boys will locate the cave in the coming darkness," said Anderson Rover. "But still it will do no harm to let them have a try at it." "Mr. Rover, do you suppose those on board the Josephine have landed yet?" asked Fred, who was present.
"You can go below if you want to," answered Dick, who had come up, followed by Songbird. Tom descended to the ground and Sam followed him. They had just done this when there came a cry from Dick: "Two boats are putting off from that other vessel! Each of them is filled with men!" "Are they coming ashore or going to my yacht?" demanded Captain Barforth. "They are heading for the yacht!"
"Yah, and I vos eat two of dem," put in Hans. "Da vos goot, doo!" and he smacked his lips. "Perhaps you ate something earlier in the day that didn't agree with you," said Captain Barforth; and there the talk ended, and Bahama Bill retired once more. Less than an hour later came a commotion on the steam yacht. Two men were evidently fighting and the voice of Bahama Bill was heard.
"I don't see anything," said Dick, gazing over the rail. "Perhaps he was fishing, after all. He may have thought Hullo!" "What is it, Dick?" "Some kind of a line down here a wire, fastened to a hook!" "Can you reach it?" "Hardly. I might if you'll hold my legs, so I don't go overboard." "Hadn't we better tell Captain Barforth of this first? The wire may belong there." "I don't know what for.
Can Hollbrook take me in one of the small boats?" "Why didn't you go when Captain Barforth went?" "I didn't think of it then." "I don't know that I can spare Hollbrook," grumbled the mate. He was eyeing Songbird in a suspicious manner. "He doesn't seem to be doing anything just now." "Say, who is running this vessel, you or I?" cried Asa Carey. "Captain Barforth is running her.
"Well, Captain Sackwell said he knew of a landing place on the north side of Treasure Isle, and he was bound for that spot." "The north side!" cried Anderson Rover. He looked at Captain Barforth. "Can they have tricked us?" he asked. "I never heard o' any landing on that side," said Bahama Bill. "But then I never visited the place but onct, as I told ye afore."
There was a moment of excitement and several crowded around, but then the mate waved the crowd away. "I shall report this to Captain Barforth as soon as he comes back," he said, and turning on his heel, he walked off. Fred went down into the cabin, and Aleck followed him. A few minutes later Norton joined the youth and the others, who had gathered to talk the matter over.
Knowing that it was now a race between the Rainbow and the Josephine for Treasure Isle, Captain Barforth crowded on all steam. The course of the steam yacht was fairly well laid out, but it contained many turns and twists, due to the many keys located in these waters. "We don't want to run on any hidden reef," said the master of the vessel.
On the following day the party was rejoined by Songbird, and then all journeyed to Philadelphia, taking Aleck Pop with them. They found the Rainbow tied up to a dock along the Delaware River, and went aboard. The master of the craft, Captain Barforth, was on hand to greet them, and he speedily made them feel at home.
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