“We’ll overlook the slight for the present,” Case flared back, “but you be sure and bring the jewels at the first opportunity.”
“You’ll get them quick enough,” snarled one of the men. “Three days ago we received notice that you were coming, and we’ve been watching for you ever since. You came along just in time to be nicely trapped.”
“Do you mean that you were watching for the Rambler?” asked Clay, lifting his voice in order that he might be heard through the glass panel of the door. “I’d like to have you tell me about that.”
“No one knew the shape you would come in,” was the gruff reply. “We only knew that a band of pirates and wreckers who had been luring vessels on the rocks along the bay was preparing to visit the St. Lawrence. Perhaps you will tell me where you stole this fine boat?”
“They must have a big foolish house in this province,” Alex taunted, “if all the King’s officers are as crazy in the cupola as you are.”
“Let them alone,” urged Clay. “No use in talking to men of their stripe. Wait until we get to the captain of the steamer.”
The sailors continued to question the boys, resorting now and then to insulting epithets, but the lads sat dumbly in the cabin until the arrival of Captain Morgan, in charge of the steamer Sybil. To express it mildly, they were all very much elated at the appearance of Captain Morgan, who unlocked the cabin door, called them out on deck and greeted them pleasantly. They all wanted to shake hands with him.
“It seems,” Clay said to the captain, as the latter motioned to the sailors to move up to the prow, “that your men have captured a band of bold, bad men. It was a daring thing for them to do!”
The captain laughed until his sides shook, and the men, gathered on the forward part of the deck, scowled fiercely, to which the captain paid no attention at all.
“Perhaps there is an excuse for the men,” Captain Morgan finally said, suppressing his laughter. “We heard firing as we came up the river, and wreckers are known to be about.”