"That's what it 'pears to be," admitted Tyke.
"And it's the map of an island," went on Hamilton. "See," he pointed out, "these wavy lines are meant to represent water and these firmer lines stand for the land."
The others followed the movement of his finger and agreed with him.
"Well, after all, what of it?" asked Tyke, leaning back in his chair with affected indifference.
"There's this of it," said his visitor throwing his extinguished cigar into the waste-basket and drawing his chair still closer. "I feel that we have a mystery on our hands, and we should examine it fore and aft to find what there is in it."
"I s'pose the next thing you'll be saying is that's it's a guide to hidden treasure or something like that," jeered Tyke feebly, to conceal his own growing excitement.
"Stranger things than that have happened," replied the captain sententiously.
"Have it your own way," assented Tyke, rising and going to the door.
"Winters," he called, "jest remember that I'm not in to anybody for the rest of the afternoon."
"Yes, sir," replied Winters dutifully.