For one thing, and this Bobby did not know, the skipper had more important things to think about than the behavior of four boys on board his ship.
Takyak, upon whom he had depended to guide him to the scene of the wrecked ship and to use his influence with the natives in the business of recovering the treasure, was dying in his bed and, worse than that, he was dying with some of the most important details of the adventure still unknown to Captain Garrish.
Vainly the skipper had tried to cajole, and finally to force, the information from the lips of the dying man. The chief had refused to tell anything, and now he had fallen into a coma from which there was no rousing him.
No wonder Captain Garrish wore a dark and angry frown and failed to watch the boys as he had done. Lucky for the boys that on that day, of all days, the bullying captain had something besides themselves to think about.
All day Bobby’s thoughts were full of Takyak, wondering if the old fellow’s prophecy would prove true or if he were getting better.
It was not till near nightfall that he and the other boys learned the truth, and then in a peculiar way.
Shivering with cold and excitement they were descending the ladder to take a hard-earned rest when a roar that sounded like that of a mad bull let loose in a field of red flags reached their ears and made them stand still, gazing, bewildered, in the direction of the noise.
A moment later a door was pushed open as though with the tremendous impact of some heavy body behind it and Captain Garrish charged out, his face purple, his very beard bristling with rage.
As the boys still stood rooted to the spot they saw some one running toward the enraged captain and in a moment recognized Mr. Campbell, an aged man who acted as the ship’s doctor.
At sight of the latter the captain’s fury seemed to increase until he became a madman.