“Where can be the harm?”
“I don’t know as there would be any; but it surely can’t be wrong to take precautions, even though some of them may be foolish. I noticed a queer look on that fellow’s face when you showed him the gold, and you must remember that he talked about piratical treasure as if he expected you to tell him where we got what you sold. Now look at the matter squarely: You carry on shore, after saying we were wrecked on a key, a lot of old coins such as have been found around here. It isn’t likely you would have taken such money from home, consequently every person who sees it must at once come to the correct conclusion. That being the case, don’t you think there would be people enough in this city who would risk an encounter with three boys for the sake of learning whether there were any more of those ancient gold-pieces on board?”
“You’re right!” Roy exclaimed, a startled look coming into his eyes, and Vance added:
“How do we know but that the interpreter or his friends wouldn’t attempt the job?”
“That was exactly why I didn’t want him on board at night, and the reason of my buying these,” Ned replied as he opened the package, exposing the weapons to view. “I propose that we keep our eyes open pretty wide, not only while we remain in port, but until we can put the treasure in a safer place. This yacht and her cargo would be such a prize as might tempt very many men to turn pirates for the time being.”
“You’ve got a mighty level head,” Vance added approvingly, “and I say as I did when we were on the key, that we will recognize you as the skipper of this craft.”
Roy also believed there were good grounds for Ned’s suspicions, and for the first time since reaching port, both he and Vance were seriously disturbed in mind.
“There is no reason why you should fuss about the matter,” Ned hastened to say as he saw what sort of an effect his words had upon his companions. “It’s only a case of standing watch all the time, and that won’t be such very hard work between three.”
When a satisfactory supper had been eaten the boys sat on the deck aft, where the lights of the city could best be seen, and there all three remained until nine o’clock, when Ned proposed that the night watch be set.
“We’ll take it an hour apiece, and draw lots to see who begins. At the first thing which looks suspicious, or can’t be explained readily, the others are to be awakened. It will be better to turn all hands out on a false alarm than run any risk.”