"I overheard some of them talking about it before we sailed," says the Captain. "There were those new shovels and picks, you know; perhaps those set them guessing. Anyway, they were passing the word from the first."
Mr. Ellins shakes his head and glances at Killam. Auntie presses her lips tight and stares from one to the other.
"This is serious," says Old Hickory. "Why didn't you tell us of this before?"
"Why," says Captain Lennon, "I didn't think you'd like it, sir. And I've warned the men."
"Warned them against what?" asks Old Hickory.
"Against showing their grins above decks," says the Captain. "Of course, I can't stop their having their jokes in their own quarters."
"Jokes?" echoes Mr. Ellins.
"Jokes!" gasps Auntie.
Captain Lennon hunches his shoulders again.
"I thought you wouldn't like it, sir," says he; "but that's the way they look at it. I've told them it was none of their business what you folks did; that you could afford to hunt for buried treasure, or buried beans, or buried anything else, if you wanted to. And if you'll report one of them even winking disrespectful, or showing the trace of a grin, I'll set him and his ditty bag ashore so quick—"