“You don’t mean it,” cried Hetherington. “Then I can get there from your place?”
“Easily, by camel. It is about a day’s journey.”
Hetherington turned to Frank.
“Why can’t you come with me?” he asked. “I’ll look after you. I expect to be back in England in a couple of weeks, and you can go with me. Then you can return to the United States.”
“But I wanted to get back to Naples and try and find my father.”
“You probably wouldn’t be able to find him now. The chances are he has returned home himself, hoping to find you there, as he has been unable to find you in more than a week.”
“I guess you are right,” replied Frank. “I’ll go with you.”
It was late the next afternoon when the schooner once more drew near the little African town in which Jack lived, and dropped anchor.
Jack called the prisoners from below.
“I don’t know why I should bother with you,” he said. “I know you are mutineers and should be dealt with severely, but I am not an executioner. Pay me my two pounds four,” he continued, turning to one of the men, “and we shall leave the ship. It’s not my ship and neither is it yours; but you can have it as far as I am concerned.”