Cousin Benedict smiled in return.
"Negoro!" shouted the captain.
At the sound of the name, the dog, who had hitherto been quite passive, growled fiercely, showed his teeth, and exhibited every sign of rage.
The cook did not answer.
"Negoro!" again the captain shouted, and the dog became yet more angry.
At this second summons Negoro slowly left his kitchen, but no sooner had he shown his face upon the deck than the animal made a rush at him, and would unquestionably have seized him by the throat if the man had not knocked him back with a poker which he had brought with him in his hand.
The infuriated beast was secured by the sailors, and prevented from inflicting any serious injury.
"Do you know this dog?" asked the captain.
"Know him? Not I! I have never set eyes on the brute in my life."
"Strange!" muttered Dick to himself; "there is some mystery here. We shall see."