Part 3 (2/2)
”That's just his way of talking when he's got a mouthful of what he calls 'eatin' tobacco.' He said, 'he is of the opinion that your boat is bust up considerable.'”
”Well, we don't need an expert to tell us that,” laughed Jack.
”Doyouwantmetofixit?” inquired the eccentric old man, still running his words together in the same odd way.
”Yes,” replied Jack, ”can we have her by to-morrow?”
”Haveterseehowbadlyshesbusted,” muttered the old man.
”He'll have to see how badly she's busted,” translated Jack. ”Suppose you take a look at her,” he added to the boatman.
”Maybeagoodidee,” agreed old Hansen, and he scrambled down into the boat.
”I'llfixherbyto-morrow,” he said at last.
The charges, it appeared, would not be more than ten or twelve dollars, which the boys thought reasonable.
”Especially as they won't come out of our pockets,” commented Billy.
”Not if I can help it,” promised Jack decisively.
”And now,” said Captain Simms, ”as I happen to have some business at the Pine Island Hotel, I'll run you down there in the _Skipjack_, as I call my boat.”
”That's awfully good of you,” said Jack gratefully. ”I began to think that we would have to stay ash.o.r.e here all night.”
Before many minutes had pa.s.sed they were off, leaving old Hansen, with working jaws, examining the hole in the _Curlew's_ side. The _Skipjack_ proved speedy and they made the run back to the hotel in good time, arriving there before sundown. Captain Toby had met Captain Simms after the latter had found the treasure party at the spot where they had unearthed the rich trove. But he proved equally reticent as to the object of his presence at Alexandria as he had been with the boys. He was doing some ”special work” for the government, was all that Captain Toby could ascertain.
”There's considerable mystery to all this,” said Captain Toby to the boys after Captain Simms had left them to write some letters which, he said, he wished to send ash.o.r.e by the hotel motor boat that evening.
”It's some sort of secret work for Uncle Sam, I guess,” hazarded Jack, ”but what it is I've no idea. Anyhow it's none of our business.”
The boys little guessed, when Jack made that remark, how very much their business Captain Simms' secret mission was to become in the near future.
CHAPTER V.
NIGHT SIGNALS.
After supper Captain Simms suddenly announced that he wished to make a trip to the mainland to the town of Clayton. He wished to send an important telegram to Was.h.i.+ngton, he explained.
”How are you going?” asked Jack. ”The hotel boat has stopped running for the day.”
”I know that, but I'll go on the _Skipjack_. You lads want to come?”
”Do we? I should say we do.”
”You lads must be full of springs from the way you're always jumping about,” remarked Uncle Toby, with a smile, ”but I suppose it's boy nature.”
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