“Yes, and it was pretty near over with Doctor Campbell,” added Billy. “I’ll say that fellow had a close call.”
“I’m sorry for poor Takyak,” said Mouser thoughtfully. “But, just the same, it’s lucky for us this happened. It will keep the skipper’s attention from us for a little while, anyway.”
“Yes, but only for a little while,” Bobby reminded him. “As soon as he gets over raving about Takyak, he’ll begin to think of us and wonder if we know any more about the treasure than he does.”
“And when he does,” said Fred ruefully, “something tells me it will be all up with us.”
“The only thing we can do,” said Bobby hurriedly, for they could hear the heavy tramping of the sailors who were returning, “is to take a chance and start as soon after dark as we can. A few hours from now this old boat will be getting a little more unhealthy for us than it already is.”
“Righto,” agreed Fred cheerfully, and then they separated, but only until the welcome darkness gave them the secrecy they must have.
All about him Bobby heard the men talking about the captain’s outbreak, laughing hoarsely and cracking rough jokes at the skipper’s expense.
“Didn’t think the old man loved Takyak like that,” said one of them, in a mock-sentimental tone. “It’s enough to make a bloke cry ’is eyes out, so it is.”
And still later another man, a big rough fellow with a week’s growth of beard and smoldering, deep-set eyes, turned to glower at Bobby.
“If I wuz you, me lad—” he said, as he took a dirty-looking old pipe from his pocket—“if I wuz you, I’d cut loose from this outfit, so I would, at our first port. The skipper’s got it in for you good an’ plenty an’ the skipper’s a powerful mean man when he’s roused.”