“Hello, boys!” greeted the old sailor heartily, for he was by this time fully recovered from the effects of the strange attack made on him at the time of the robbery of the treasure map.
“Hello!” greeted Bob, Ned and Harry.
“Come on in,” invited the old man. “I can give you some cookies and milk.”
“That sounds good to me!” declared Ned.
His long years of sailor life had fitted Hiram Beegle to keep house by himself, and, not only do that but cook well—an art to which his three visitors soon bore testimony. For not only did he set out a plate of excellent molasses cookies before them, but some sandwiches and pie, all of which he had made himself.
The boys had eaten an early breakfast, and chest-nutting, or, indeed, any excursion in the open, creates a good appetite, of which our heroes had no lack. So they did full justice to the little lunch the old seaman prepared for them.
“I don’t s’pose you’ve heard anything about your missing box, or about Rod Marbury, have you?” asked Bob when a lull came in the eating.
“Nary a word. I’ve kept pretty close to my cabin. I didn’t want that scoundrel attacking me again.”
“Oh, he won’t come around again,” said Harry.
“I guess not. He got what he was after,” remarked Ned.