He actually feared the return of Rynders and his men! This feeling annoyed and troubled him.

He felt that it was unworthy of him.

He knew that he ought to long for the arrival of his mate, for in no other way could the party expect help, and if help did not arrive before the provisions of the Rackbirds were exhausted, the whole party would most likely perish.

Moreover, when Rynders and his men came back, they would come to rare good fortune, for there was enough gold for all of them.
But, in spite of these reasonable conclusions, the captain was afraid that Rynders and his men would return.
"If they come here," he said to himself, "they will know of that gold, for I cannot expect to keep such fellows out of the cavern, and if they know of it, it will be their gold, not mine.

I know men, especially those men, well enough for that." And so, fearing that he might see them before he was ready for them,--and how he was going to make himself ready for them he did not know,--he stood on the lookout and scanned the ocean for Rynders and his men..