Some did, and others, disbelieving, hung around the hatch-cover,
sniffing and peering to discover traces of smoke. But the sailors
had done their work well, and a stranger would not have known that a
fire was in the hold.

The captain had spoken truly, and in the morning the fire was
completely out, a few charred bales of cotton being the only things
damaged. They were hauled up and dumped into the sea, while Tom,
making a hasty inspection of his other goods placed in that
compartment saw, to his relief, that beyond one case of trinkets,
designed for barter with the natives, nothing had been damaged, and
even the trinkets could be used on a pinch.

"But what was in that box?" asked Ned, that night as they got ready
to retire, the excitement having calmed down.

"Hush! Not so loud," cautioned Tom, for Mr. Damon was in the next
stateroom, while Eradicate had one across the corridor. "I'll tell
you, Ned, but don't breathe a word of it to Rad or Mr. Damon. They
might not intend to give it away, but I'm afraid they would, if they
knew, and I depend on the things in that box to give the native
giants the surprise of their lives in case we--well, in case we come
to close quarters."

"Close quarters?"

"Yes, have a fight, you know, or in case they get so fond of us that
they won't hear of letting us go--in other words if they make us
captives."