“That he was practising on you?”

“Maybe he was. You can search me.”

“You see, if there had been other robberies, we would have heard of it. If that pirate had been doing this sort of thing for an indefinite time, somebody would have talked about it before this, so I think it is safe to suppose that you have the honor of being Captain Sparkle’s first victim.”

“I have had that idea myself, Nick. Hello! What’s the matter with Burton?”

“He seems to be wigwagging you,” remarked Nick, turning his head so he could observe the owner of the Harkaway.

“Well, I wish he would have himself put aboard here, and do his talking like a Christian. I never could get that wigwagging business into my head,” growled Kane.

“I’ll read it for you,” said Nick.

“I wish to goodness you would.”

After a moment of attentive observation, Nick rose from his chair and went to the rail, from which place he also went through with a series of pantomimic gestures, and for several moments this was kept up between him and Burton, aboard the other yacht. Then he turned again to his host.

“Your friend Burton wigwags that he has met the pirate,” he said quietly.

“The devil he does!” replied Kane.

“I have suggested to him that he say as little about[58] it as possible for the present, and that he order his men to keep silent, also; and I have taken the liberty to ask him to come aboard here at once and tell us all about it.”

[58]

“I’m mighty glad you did that.”

“Here he comes now. He will be here in a moment.”

“I’m jolly glad we have got the Goalong to ourselves,” said Kane.

He rose then, and went to the side, where he awaited the arrival of his friend.

“Glad to make your acquaintance, Mr. Burton,” said the detective, when they were introduced. “I hope you appreciated the logic of my suggestions while we were wigwagging each other.”

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