Читать книгу The Secret Chart; or, Treasure Hunting in Hayti онлайн

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“Dey kin cum at yer anywhere,” Andy said, with an ominous shake of the head, and then he turned so suddenly, in order to look over his shoulder, lest the phantoms of the pirates should be pursuing him, that he nearly toppled headlong.

As a matter of course, the boys enjoyed this hugely, and their mirth only served to kindle his wrath anew.

He closed his thick lips tightly, as if to say he would not allow himself to be coaxed into speaking again, and Gil was on the point of trying to soothe him, when a shout from above caused him to remain silent.

“The captain says the boys are to come on deck and see what we have picked up.”

Gil and Nelse obeyed hurriedly, and were not a little surprised at seeing nothing more than a dead bird lying on the main hatch.

“Did you shoot it?” Gil cried, in surprise, wondering how it happened that they had not heard the report of firearms.

“It was dead, floating, and we picked it up,” Captain Mansfield replied.

“What for?”

“I saw something red had been tied under the poor thing’s wing, and wanted to find out what it meant. By doing so, we shall be able to rescue several unfortunate men from considerable suffering, if not death.”