"Did he mention the sunken treasure?" asked the lad, eager
to find out if his suspicions were true.

"Yes, he did, if you'll excuse me putting it so plainly,"
answered the seaman, as if Tom might be offended at so
direct a reply. But the young inventor was soon to learn
that this was only an odd habit with the seaman.

"Did he want to know where the wreck of the Boldero was
located?" continued the lad. "That is, did he try to
discover if you knew anything about it?"

"Yes," said Mr. Weston, "he did. He pumped me, if you are
acquainted with that term, and are not offended by it. You
see, when I arrived here I made inquiries as to where your
father's place was located. Mr. Berg overheard me, and
introduced himself as agent for a shipbuilding concern. He
was very friendly, and when he said he knew you and your
parent, I thought he was all right."

Tom's heart sank. His worst fears were to be realized, he
thought.

"Yes, he and I talked considerable, if I may be permitted
to say so," went on the captain. "He seemed to know about
the wreck of the Boldero, and that she had three hundred
thousand dollars in gold aboard. The only thing he didn't
know was where the wreck was located. He knew it was off
Uruguay somewhere, but just where he couldn't say. So he