Пятнадцатилетний капитан / Dick Sand. A Captain at Fifteen. Уровень 2

“Tom and I.”

“And leave us here?” suggested the lady.

“There will be Hercules, Bat, Acteon and Austin with you. Negoro, too, I presume,” said Dick, glancing towards the cook.

“Perhaps,” replied Negoro.

“We will take Dingo,” added Dick.

A short bark testified the Dog’s approval of Dick’s proposal.

Mrs. Weldon was silent. She looked sad and thoughtful. She did not like the idea of the division of the party.

“And what, Mr. Benedict, is your opinion of my proposal?” said Dick.

“I?” answered Cousin Benedict. “Oh, I am agreeable to anything. I dare say I will find some specimens. I think I will go and look at once.”

“Don’t go far away,” replied Dick.

“All right.”

“And don’t bring back a lot of mosquitoes,” said old Tom mischievously.

With his box under his arm, the naturalist left the grotto.

Negoro followed almost immediately. He went towards the river, and proceeded along its bank.

Then Dick and the negroes went to the “Pilgrim” to take some articles for future use.

Here Dick found four excellent rifles and a hundred cartridges. He also chose six cutlasses. Unexpectedly he found a pocket-compass! Dick wanted to secure all the money that was on board, but after the most diligent search he discovered just five hundred dollars. This was very strange. Mrs. Weldon had a considerably larger sum than this, and Captain Hull kept a good reserve. It was a real mystery!

Negoro was out alone upon the shore. Was he the thief? Dick did not know.

They all assembled in the grotto again. But Benedict was not there. Hercules shouted his name with the full strength of his capacious lungs, and shortly afterwards the entomologist came back. He was in a great rage. No new insects at all! Mrs. Weldon soothed him.