“What for?”
“We belong to the Albatross,” says Catty, “and we came to see what we could do about lifting the treasure. We’ve a right to do that. You’re a kind of a pirate, trying to get Mr. Topper’s treasure away from him, and we’re helping.... But we couldn’t sit and let a lot of mutineers grab it, and seize your yacht and go sailing off. Now, could we?”
“Go on.”
“While we were under the tarpaulin we heard the plot. The men are organized, enough of them to do what they want to—if you aren’t armed. Maybe they are. I don’t know that. One man is captain of the mutineers, and they are waiting for him to give the signal. As soon as he gives it, you will be seized, and they’ll take the treasure, if it’s been found, or dig for it, if it hasn’t. Then they’re going to seize your yacht and sail away to some place where it’s safe to land, and divide the treasure, and be rich forever after.”
Now, I’ll give Jonas P. Dunn credit for one thing—he had nerve. The first thing he did was to laugh, like he knew a joke, and then he got good and mad.
“You’re sure of this?”
“I’m sure. I heard it all—and Wee-wee heard it.”
“Did you?” says Mr. Dunn to me.
“Every word,” says I.
“Um.... Serious. Never expected to be in a mutiny,” he says, and kind of grins again. “Who’s the leader of it?”