"You shall pay for this indignity!" Carstens roared, turning away from the group, with the box still under his arm. Ned pointed to the box, and Captain Curtis stopped him.
"I want that box," he said, calmly.
Lieutenant Carstens hastened his steps and lifted the steel box in his hands, as if about to toss it into the sea. Before he could execute his purpose, however, the box was seized by the Captain.
"If you wish to assist in the search of the cabin," Captain Curtis said, "we will go there together. Come along, Nestor," he added, turning to Ned and cutting the cord which held his wrists. "You suggested the move, and you shall see what is discovered in the search."
The Lieutenant moved along with the others, but paused at the head of the stairway leading down into the little stern cabin.
"I protest against this!" he roared, his face bloodless with passion or fright.
"By the way," Captain Curtis said, lifting the steel box high in the air, "this appears to be quite heavy. Suppose we open it here?"
"There is no key," Carstens replied.
Ned held up the odd-shaped key he had found on the island first visited.
"I think I can open it," he said, "but you'll find that Carstens has a key if you'll take a look through his clothes."