“Yes,” he said, “I do know something!” Everyone bent forward. Ortiga and Mr. Coleson had eager, intent faces; Cliff and Tom were anxious and worried. With the key to a treasure in his grasp, was this impulsive comrade going to “tell All,” or “tell nothing?”
Nicky grinned, a little maliciously, it seemed to Cliff.
“Mr. Coleson,” he said, “you’ve got us ‘in your power.’ It’s no use to try to fib to you.”
“You’d better not!” snapped Senor Ortiga, while the colored man, listening in the after cockpit, rolled his eyes and shook his head and Mr. Coleson bored Nicky with piercing eyes.
“I’ve got to save my friends and myself,” Nicky declared. “If you will promise——”
“Oh! Certainly!” broke in Senor Ortiga, impatiently. “You will get what is coming to you! Let us have the secret!”
Nicky’s chums were so far forgetting their usual poise that they shook their heads vigorously, but Nicky seemed not to notice.
“When Captain Kidd was in prison, as my family remembers the story, he sent for one of my grandparents—great-great-great, I guess it was! And he said——”
“Yes! Yes! What?”
“He said, ‘Here is half a map, and I am giving it to you——’”