“I don’t see but what you boys might go on this search for the Margarita,” said Sam Rover. “I can’t go because I must stay here in New York. Your Uncle Dick has got to go down to Texas and see about an oil deal we’ve been putting through, and your Uncle Tom has got to go out to the Rolling Thunder mine because he’s received a hint that that Peter Garrish has been making trouble again.”
“Well, if you’re sure we can’t do anything here——” began Jack.
“I don’t see what you can do,” put in Dick Rover. “The Browns and the Martells have completely disappeared and it isn’t likely that you could find them any quicker than the detectives who are on their trail. The police authorities are hunting for Ditini and Ronombo, and what more can be done I don’t know. You might as well go on this hunt for the steam yacht, and we can do our best to keep in communication with you, in case anything turns up and you’re needed.”
More talk followed, and before the meeting broke up it was agreed that the four boys should accompany Captain Corning on the hunt for the missing Margarita and that they were to furnish the additional eighteen thousand dollars which the captain needed to finance the expedition. In return for this, it was agreed that if anything of value was recovered, after all necessary expenses were paid the balance was to be divided into three parts, one part going to Captain Corning and two parts to the Rover boys; these to be divided equally between the youths.
Captain Corning was a first-class seaman, but frankly admitted that he did not like to keep any books or do any direct financing, so it was agreed that Fred should become the secretary for the expedition and Jack should act as treasurer.
“That leaves Randy and me free to become real sailors!” cried Andy gayly. “Captain Corning, we’ll be at your service,” and he touched his forehead in true salt-water fashion.
“All right, lads, I may take you up on that,” answered the captain, smiling. “I’ll ship a full crew, but there’s no telling what work there’ll be to do when we locate the Margarita and try to get at it.” He liked the boys as much as they liked him, and that was one reason why he had been so anxious to get them to go on the search for the sunken steam yacht.
“We’ll draw our money from the bank to-morrow,” said Jack after consulting his cousins. “Then we’ll take that amount and what you’re to pay in, Captain Corning, and place it in a special account to be drawn on whenever needed. I’ll make out the checks and we can fix it so you can countersign them if you wish.”
“I know an honest young man when I see him, Mr. Rover,” answered Captain Corning quickly. “I don’t think the checks will need any countersigning.”