"He'll have to see how badly she's busted," translated Jack. "Suppose you take a look at her," he added to the boatman.
"Maybeagoodidee," agreed old Hansen, and he scrambled down into the boat.
"I'llfixherbyto-morrow," he said at last.
The charges, it appeared, would not be more than ten or twelve dollars, which the boys thought reasonable.
"Especially as they won't come out of our pockets," commented Billy.
"Not if I can help it," promised Jack decisively.
"And now," said Captain Simms, "as I happen to have some business at the Pine Island Hotel, I'll run you down there in the Skipjack, as I call my boat."
"That's awfully good of you," said Jack gratefully. "I began to think that we would have to stay ashore here all night."
Before many minutes had passed they were off, leaving old Hansen, with working jaws, examining the hole in the Curlew's side. The Skipjack proved speedy and they made the run back to the hotel in good time, arriving there before sundown. Captain Toby had met Captain Simms after the latter had found the treasure party at the spot where they had unearthed the rich trove. But he proved equally reticent as to the object of his presence at Alexandria as he had been with the boys. He was doing some "special work" for the government, was all that Captain Toby could ascertain.
"There's considerable mystery to all this," said Captain Toby to the boys after Captain Simms had left them to write some letters which, he said, he wished to send ashore by the hotel motor boat that evening.