A curious change seemed to come over the old man. He looked carefully up and down the street to see that no one was in sight, and then, approaching quite closely to Bob, he whispered:
"Bob, come to my house to-night."
"What for?"
"Hush! Not so loud. I've a great secret to disclose."
"What about?" asked Bob with a smile, thinking to humor the old captain.
"About buried treasure. It's on a lonely island in the Southern Pacific Ocean. I'm the only living man who knows where it is. If I wasn't so old I'd go along and help find it. But I'm too old. It needs some one young and strong. You'll dig it up for me, won't you?"
"If I could find it," replied Bob, believing the aged man was speaking of some delusion.
"Oh, you can find it. I have the secret map. I'll give it to you. Come to my house to-night, but after dark—after dark, mind." And, once more looking around to see that no one had observed him, Captain Obed shuffled on down the street. Bob did not know what to think.