“Fo’ de Lawd’s sake!” he cried. “Fo’ de Lawd’s sake!”
Alex sprang to his feet just as Captain Joe came dashing up to the negro, looking fierce enough to consume him at one bite.
If there had been any extra hair at the top of the old negro’s pate it must have stood horizontal at that moment, for Teddy shambled up to the bulldog and began a series of boxing antics such as the old fellow had never witnessed before.
“Gimme mah two dollahs!” he finally managed to shout. “Gimme mah two dollahs, and Ah’ll done go ’way!”
Before Alex could reply, Clay came into the little opening and stood gazing about with wondering eyes.
“Did you see Case and Jule?” was the first question he asked of Alex.
Clay stepped toward the bank and looked out over the cove.
“Where is the _Rambler_?” he asked, not without anxiety in his voice.
“The pirates got her!” was Alex’s reply, and there were actually tears in his eyes as he spoke.
During this short conversation between the two boys, Uncle Zeke had stood, trembling, by the heap of embers, gazing from boy to boy and from bear to dog.
“Ah nebber did cotton to no bulldog!” he said.
“Where did you get that?” asked Clay, forgetting for a moment what Alex’s reply meant to the party.
“That’s Uncle Zeke,” answered Alex with a grin. “He rowed Teddy and I across the river.”
“Ah’m goin’ to hab two dollahs!” put in the negro.
Clay again turned toward Alex, his manner showing great excitement.
Alex told the story, already well known to the reader, in as few words as possible. Clay did not interrupt him, and at the close stood looking out on the river with a very grave face.
“We’ve got to get her back!” Alex shouted in a moment. “We’ve just got to get the _Rambler_ back!”
“Of course,” Clay said stubbornly, “of course! I was only thinking how. There surely must be some way.”
“Where are Case and Jule?” Alex now asked.
“I don’t know!” was the reply. “I went away to look up something to eat, and when I came back, they were not here.”
“They probably went after something to eat, too!” Alex suggested.
“No,” Clay went on, “I was to bring back provisions, if I succeeded in finding any. When I returned, Captain Joe was here, but they were gone.”
“That’s strange!” Alex muttered. “I don’t see why they should leave camp when they were expecting you to bring them something to eat.”