One and all, they smarted under the Captain’s rude treatment. He was being well paid to transport the expedition supplies to Peru. Why then, should he have taken such a dislike to them?
“It’s because of that parchment translation incident,” Willie declared as the four stepped back to watch two sailors recover the sunken box. “The old boy won’t forget or forgive.”
Later that afternoon, after the Shark had sailed, Jack and Ken related the unfortunate loading affair to Mr. Livingston.
“Captain Carter is a surly fellow, I’m afraid,” the Scout leader commented. “Fortunately, we won’t run into him again until we hit Peru. And we shouldn’t have too close an association after that.”
“I sure wish we were leaving tomorrow,” Jack declared with a grin. “How’ll we wait?”
“The days will pass fast enough,” Mr. Livingston assured him.
He was right. Almost before the Explorers realized it, the long weeks had slipped by.
On the night before the party was scheduled to board the clipper for Peru, the Scout organization held a final meeting.
For the four Rovers, the occasion was a solemn, impressive one. Well they knew that weeks, perhaps months, might elapse before they would meet again in formal session. Even so, they had no inkling of the exciting adventures that lay ahead or of the part that Captain Carter was to play in their lives.
During the early part of the evening, movie slides were shown on Peru. Jack, as crew leader, thanked the committee for the fine program presented, and then, with regret, announced that it was time to end the meeting by closing the log.