He was fearful lest he should
be intercepted by some agent of Blowitz, though there was no sign that
the tug had arrived.
The three boys were warmly welcomed by the girls and Mr. Seabury, when
they got to the bungalow.
"I congratulate you," said the elderly gentleman. "You deserve great
credit for what you did."
"Well, we had good luck," admitted Jerry. "But where is the
professor?"
"Out searching for horned toads and web-footed lizards," said Nellie.
"He has enlisted the services of Ponto, and they are continually on
the hunt. I hope he gets what he wants."
"He generally does," said Bob. "If he doesn't he finds something else
nearly as good."
Some days later Mr. De Vere called at the bungalow. He had finished up
his business affairs, and brought the boys the prize money, as their
reward for the parts they had played in the finding of the derelict.
"But this is too much," protested Jerry, when Mr. De Vere had given
him and his comrades nearly half as much again as was originally
promised.
"Not a bit of it," was the reply. "I can well afford it. Those papers
were more valuable than you supposed, and I find I will be able to
collect insurance on the cargo of the abandoned brig. I have heard
from the captain of it, and he tells me, just as I supposed, that he
and the crew left her because of the peculiar fumes, so that my theory
was right, after all. They tried to take the dogs, which belonged to
the first mate, but could not.
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