“He went to the cabin directly,” said Mr Parkley; and on their following him they found him loading his rifle, and saw the butt of his revolver sticking out of his breast.
“Actuated by the same thought,” said the captain.
“Well, yes,” said Dutch, “there may be no danger either from beast or Indian, but it is as well to be on the safe side.”
Taking rifles on deck, they went and leaned over the bulwarks, talking, to see the little party land, and Oakum help out the ladies, who walked slowly up with John Studwick towards the trees, while the sailors sat about close to the boat, or threw themselves down upon the sands.
“We seem to have been suspicious enough over this affair,” said the captain, taking off his cap, so as to let the soft breeze that was now beginning to blow after the heat of the day, fan his brown forehead. “I wonder what has become of the Cuban.”
“Home by this time, I should say,” replied Mr Parkley, while Dutch, with an uneasy feeling creeping over him, leaned there, rifle in hand, watching the shore.
“I had my suspicions at first,” continued the captain, “and really hardly expected to get out here without some hindrance.”
“What did you suspect?” said Mr Parkley, lighting a cigar, and handing one to the captain, who lit up in turn.
“Anything—nothing. I had got it into my head that this fellow wanted to stop us, and I was prepared to be overhauled by a swift steamer; for a mutiny on board; to find him here first—there, it is always the way; once give your imagination its head, and away it goes.”
“Well, nothing could have gone better than the trip has since we started, and if it should prove that there is treasure below us here, all we have to do is to dive and get it all.”