“Who’s that on board the Gadabout?” roared the captain. “What are you doing there, you lubber?”
“I guess you know who I am,” replied the man on deck, who now the boys were convinced was indeed the mysterious stranger.
Both boys were startled, as they looked into the face of the captain, who was now rowing swiftly toward the little motor-boat. Whether the expression on his face was one of anger or of fear was not known by either. The man, however, was keenly excited and his anxiety to gain his boat became apparent with every stroke of his oars.
In a brief time he swung the skiff alongside the Gadabout and without making any effort to board the boat the captain roared, “What are you doing on board there?”
“I came back to get something that I thought might be here, which I didn’t take with me,” said Mr. Button quietly. It was manifest from his appearance that he was in nowise alarmed by the noisy questions of the captain of the Gadabout.
“Well, did you find it?” demanded the captain.
“I cannot say that I have—as yet.”
“I guess that depends on what you’re looking for,” said the captain, his voice becoming lower, although his excitement was still manifest.
“I didn’t suppose there would be any such feeling over my coming back to your boat. I have known of other men who neglected to take some things with them when they left home, to say nothing about a motor-boat.”
“Did you say you found it?” again demanded the captain.