"What did he tell you?"
"He said he had a joke on you boys; that he was charging you three hundred dollars for a trip to Cordova, and that he meant to leave you on the first little island in the gulf that he came to."
"Did he tell you why he was going to do that?" asked Tommy.
Again Boswell looked keenly at his questioner.
"I guess I'd better not answer that question," he said finally.
"I wish you would answer it," Tommy urged. "I ought to know just what motive the fellow has for throwing obstacles in my way.
"He thinks it's funny!" answered Boswell.
"That isn't the correct answer," Tommy insisted. "He has some motive for what he is trying to do. I'd like to know what that motive is."
"You can't find out from me!" declared Boswell.
"You must be a chum of his!" sneered Sam.