The matter was not ended here, however. When they got on board, there was a very serious reception awaiting them. Their project had been discovered and betrayed to the skipper by some officious noodle, and Captain Willis was not a little alarmed. The consequences might be very serious. So the captain had Jack and Harry Girdwood up, and gave them a word or two of a sort. "We wish to preserve the most friendly relations with the people here, Mr. Harkaway," said he, severely; "and this sort of adventure is not calculated to achieve our object." Jack did not attempt to deny what had occurred. "We have done no harm," he said; "we were simply cruising about when we saw murder done. We arrived too late to prevent it, but Tinker was pleased to take it upon himself to avenge the murdered woman, for a woman it was, as we could tell from her shrieks as the sack went under and stifled them for ever." The captain was somewhat startled at this.