“We’re not speculators, Captain,” put in Dick Rover. “That is, we do not take anything more than regular business risks, the same risks that all business men have to take. We do not deal in any securities of the wildcat order.”
“Oh, yes, yes, I understand that! And you’ll excuse me, Mr. Rover, if I was a little too blunt. But what I meant is that I’m pretty sure that we can locate that wreck, and, if we can, everybody who puts up his money in this expedition will get his share.”
“How much do you think was on board the Margarita when she went down?” asked Fred.
“Well, of course, the exact amount is more or less problematic. I have found out that when Miguel Torra made his escape he had not less than fifty thousand dollars in gold with him and he had with him gold and silverware and jewelry and precious stones amounting to at least one hundred and fifty thousand dollars more.”
“Gracious! Two hundred thousand dollars!” exclaimed Randy. “If we got hold of any such sum as that it would help out The Rover Company a whole lot!”
“Go slow, son! Go slow!” admonished Tom Rover. “Don’t count your chickens before you’ve even got the eggs.”
“Yes, but, Dad! if there is even a fair chance of locating this lost steam yacht, don’t you think we ought to take it?” pleaded the youth.
“Certainly! But I would want to know a little more about what I was trying to do.”
“I won’t promise to go into this affair, Captain Corning. Not that I don’t trust you, but because this affair in Wall Street needs my attention,” remarked Sam Rover. “However, I’d like very much to hear what you have to say. And let me add that my son here and my three nephews are also greatly interested. These boys were once shipwrecked in the West Indies and fell in with an old sailor, and between them they managed to locate a pirates’ treasure which, while it was not tremendously large, still gave each of them a snug little sum of money.”
“Well, lads, if that’s the case, you ought to be just the young fellows to help look for the Margarita,” and Captain Corning smiled broadly.