And Captain Joe nodded his head, just as if he understood all the boy said.
At that moment Clay appeared in the doorway of the cabin. He was greeted with looks of inquiry by both Rube and Buck.
“Did you find him?” Buck asked.
“Find him?” repeated the boy. “Who is there to find? I discovered only a badly mussed cabin.
What’s been going on in there? Looks like a tornado had passed through it. You must have been having quite a merry time on board.”
Both Rube and Buck sprang for the cabin.
“What’s doing?” asked the astonished Alex. “Has everybody gone daffy, or have Rube and Buck discovered an oil well in the bottom of the boat?” The boys hastened to enter the cabin, where they found Rube and Buck bending over a broken strap.
“Now, what do you know about that?” the former was asking.
Buck shook his head, looking very much disgruntled.
CHAPTER XIX