“Never mind,” answered Tad laughingly. “I can take care of myself. Your kind never did scare me worth a cent.”
Sandy sprang up. He hesitated for a few tense seconds, then strode forward with Butler’s soft chuckle in his ears.
45The two men did get off when the boat stopped late that afternoon. Tad was at the rail watching them. Sam Dawson was also an observer of the scene. He saw the threatening scowl that Ketcham gave the smiling Tad, and drew his own conclusions, and at the same time decided that the freckle-faced boy was pretty well able to hold his own. Dawson really suspected part of the reason for this hasty disembarking, though he thought it was because Tad had threatened to expose the man Ketcham.
It was after supper when Tad called Ned Rector aside.
“I promised to tell you, Ned. Come with me and listen to what I am going to tell Mr. Darwood.”
Ned went willingly. Darwood was sitting on deck. Tad halted before him, Darwood glancing up at the boys with languid interest.
“May I speak with you?” asked the lad politely.
“I reckon there’s nothing to prevent,” was the careless answer.
Tad went direct to the point of his story.
“A night or so ago I chanced to overhear two men who were passengers on this boat talking of you and the gentlemen who were with you. They were planning to follow and 46watch you. They thought you had discovered the claim for which you have been looking for so long.”