"I am quite sure of it. Now, the proposition I have to make is this: I will finance the expedition, taking all the risk. Now wait"--to Jim, who was about to interrupt. "If we succeed I will take one-half of what we get. Out of my half I will provide for Brook's family. The other half I will divide, one quarter for you and one quarter to the crew. How does that strike you?"

"That's fair enough," agreed the boys.

"Should we fail, I will pay you for your time."

"Oh, we'll take our chances on that," broke in Jo. "We'll get enough fun out of the trip to pay for that."

"When do you want to start?" asked Jim.

"I'm ready now. If you are, I think we can get off within a day or two."

"I would like to go with you," went on Jim, "but there is something I would like to attend to first."

"May I ask what that is?" inquired the professor.

Whereupon Jim told him of the seizing of the Sea Eagle, and of the abduction of the Senorita de Cordova.

"Broome!" exclaimed the professor, when Jim had concluded, "is that old rascal mixed up in that?"

"Do you know him?" asked Jim in turn.

"A little," replied the professor, dryly. "He tried to work off some of his little tricks on me, but I wasn't to be caught napping. Do you happen to know a particular friend of his, one called Manuel?"

"Ugh!" broke in Berwick. "Don't speak of that incarnation of wickedness or I shall begin to smell brimstone. I'd rather contend with his satanic majesty, himself."

The professor made no comment, but asked, "Have you any plans?"

"Nothing definite," answered Jim, "except to get to the place where the girl is to be returned and see that the bargain is carried out."

"Good!" agreed the professor. "That is the first step, of course. Now, if you want us, I and my boat are at your service."

Jim sprang to his feet. "Oh, thank you!" he exclaimed enthusiastically, "we shall be ever indebted."

"Don't mention it," returned the professor. "I have a little score to settle with Broome, myself. I have reason to think he is after me. In some way he has found out about the mine and the map that I have and he is ready to resort to any measures to get possession of it. So you think San Matteo is the place appointed?"

"I feel sure of it."

"Where are you stopping?" continued the professor.

"At the Commercial Hotel," replied Jim.

"Well, then we won't waste any more time. Suppose you meet me at the foot of Market street to-morrow morning at six o'clock. We will then go on board of the Storm King and be ready to take up the chase at once if the emergency arises. It is late now, too late for you to go aboard, so I will arrange for Jo and Tom to stay here to-night." Then to Jim and Juarez he added:

"Good-night, and remember to-morrow it's six o'clock sharp."

"Good-night," responded those addressed. "We'll be there."

A room adjoining that occupied by the professor was secured for the boys and their baggage was brought up from the office where it had been temporarily deposited.

CHAPTER VII.

THE STORM KING.

It was still lacking a few minutes of the hour named when Jim, Juarez, and Berwick, who did not intend to be left out of the venture, arrived with their handbags at the wharf at the foot of Market street. The professor had not yet arrived. The sun had risen above the hills, and the place was in heavy shadow. Putting down their bags upon the wharf, the boys walked to the water edge and began a discussion of the merits of the boats at anchor in the harbor. They were soon joined by Jo and Tom.

Un.o.bserved, a dwarfish figure stole noiselessly from the shadow, and seizing upon the nearest bag--it was Jim's--he ran swiftly down the wharf. Not quickly, however, as to escape the watchfulness of Juarez, who, to make up for the dereliction of the previous evening, was especially alert. With a shout of alarm to the others, Juarez set off at once in pursuit of the flying figure, which had already disappeared around a corner. Jim and Tom followed more leisurely, depending upon Juarez to run down the culprit. Berwick and Jo remained as a guard over the rest of their baggage.

"What happened?" cried Jo.

"That villain, Manuel," replied Berwick. "He has made off with Jim's handbag. He seems to be everywhere at once."

"Juarez will catch him," said Jo, confidently.

"I hope so," returned Berwick, "but an eel has nothing on him for slipperyness."

And so it proved, for the others came straggling back, one by one, without having found any trace of the Mexican or the bag.

"That's rather an unauspicious beginning to our trip," commented Berwick. "Did you have anything of importance in your bag, Jim?"

"Nothing but my clothes," replied Jim, ruefully. "But it's bad enough having him carry them off right in front of us. That's another score I have to settle with him."

"He will be carrying some of us away, if we aren't careful," put in Jo.

"Hallo, look there! What in the name of goodness is that coming?" cried Juarez, indicating a strange object which was advancing down the wharf.

Seen in the half-light of the morning, it seemed to consist princ.i.p.ally of arms and legs which were wildly waving in the air.

"Looks like a big devil fish," cried Tom. "Better look out, boys."

But as it came nearer it resolved itself into two figures, one of which, the larger, was carrying the smaller, which latter was squirming and struggling in an effort to escape.

"It's the Professor!" cried Juarez, "but what the mischief has he got there?"

"That's it!" cried Jim, joyfully. "He's got the 'mischief' himself. It's Manuel."

"Hurrah!" exclaimed Jo and Tom, running forward to meet him. "Where did you get him?"

"You will find your bag back upon the wharf," explained the professor, when he came near, holding the snapping, snarling object up in the air with a vicelike grip on the waistband of its trousers. "And mine, too,"

he added, as the boys started off on a run in the direction indicated.

"I caught this viper sneaking along with a bag that I knew did not belong to him, and that I took to belong to some of you. What do you think we had better do with this thing?" indicating Manuel.

"I think," observed Berwick, "we had better take it on board with us and put it in a cage like any other wild beast."

"Not a bad suggestion, that," agreed the professor. "That's about the best thing we could do with him."