After supper Lopez swung round to the boys and demanded: 

“What youall here for, anyhow?  Give it to me straight.”

“Came here for supper,” parried Arnold.  “And a mighty good one it was.  We’d like to hire that cook of yours for the boat.”

“You won’t need no cook on the boat if you Don’t tell me the truth,” almost shouted Lopez, with a gleam of hatred in his eye.

“Why, what’s the matter?” cried Harry, springing to his feet.

“I’ll show you what’s the matter,” gritted the enraged man.  “You think you can come down here and steal what rightfully belongs to us and take it away up North, don’t you?  I’ll show you.”

“Why, what do you mean?” cried Harry.  “I don’t understand.”

“Don’t you lie to me,” shouted Lopez, making as if to strike the boy.  “Don’t you lie to me!  I know what you want.”

“Well then, what do we want?” questioned Arnold indignantly.

“Youall want that Spanish Treasure Chest, but you won’t get it,” savagely vociferated Lopez.  “That chest belongs to us.”

“Well then,” cried Harry with some heat, “why don’t you go on and get it instead of annoying a party of boys who are here for a pleasant outing.  You make me tired.  You act foolish.”

“Don’t you insult me,” almost screamed Lopez.  “I’ll let Wyckoff settle with you for this.  You see if I don’t.”

“Wyckoff don’t worry me any,” boasted Arnold with a great deal more composure outwardly than he felt inside.  “I don’t care a snap of my finger for Wyckoff.  He couldn’t lick a postage stamp.”

“We’ll see about that!” shouted Lopez.  “Doright,” to the negro, “fetch that cord and tie these fellers up.  Then you stay here and watch ’em while I go see what Wyckoff wants to do with ’em.”

“Yaas, sir, Boss!” replied the negro.  “Mah name’s Doright ’case Ah always does de rightest Ah knows how.  I sure does, Boss.  Ever’body what knows me says dat!  Ah’m a Doright nigger!”

“Shut up,” snapped Lopez.  “And stay shut, too.  Don’t you go talkin’ to these boys while I’m gone, or I’ll get Mammy Judy to put a conjure on you that’ll turn half of you white and the other half green.  Now you remember that, or I’ll fix you!”

“Yaas, sir, Boss,” replied Doright in a shaking tone.

Quickly he obeyed the commands of his master, securely fastening the boys’ arms behind their backs with lengths of cord.  He then indicated a bed on the floor of the cabin as a place where the boys might rest if they chose.

“Now you stay out here on the gallery and keep your eyes open,” commanded Lopez.  “I won’t be gone more’n an hour if I can find Wyckoff and we’ll see what he wants done with these robbers!”

After he was gone Doright took up his post on the gallery.  He persistently refused to reply to the boys’ questions, and after a time they refrained from trying to elicit any information.

“Looks like that villain Wyckoff was out after us and means business!” Harry ventured.  “He seems to have lots of help!”