Dave Porter on Cave Island Part 44

"Yes," returned the big youth, and that was all he could say.

"Dave, did you get the jewels Merwell had?" went on Roger.

"Yes. But, Roger, how did you know--"

"There is no time to talk it over now, Dave," interrupted the senator's son, quickly. "We have got to act, and that at once! That is, if you want to get back the rest of the jewels."

"Why, what do you mean?" demanded Dave and Phil in a breath, and even Merwell was all attention.

"Do you remember those Englishmen, the fellows who robbed Mr. Borden?

Well, we traced them to their camp, and what do you think? They met Jasniff in some way, and he is friendly with them."

"Did he tell them about the jewels?" demanded our hero.

"No, he was cute enough to keep the story of the jewels to himself,-that is, we didn't hear him tell them anything about the gems. But he said he wanted to get away from the island as quickly as possible, and without being seen by any of us, and he offered the Englishmen a thousand dollars in diamonds if they'd help him. They agreed to it, and all hands are waiting for some ship to come here and take them off."

"The ship I saw last night!" cried Dave, and told of the light on the ocean.

"It must be that ship!" exclaimed Phil.

"They'll get away sure, unless you can stop 'em," put in Merwell, and he seemed to be almost as interested as anybody. It galled him exceedingly to think that his companion in crime might escape.

"Roger, how did you learn this?" asked Dave.

"In a queer kind of a way. Billy Dill got on the trail of the three Englishmen first and we followed them to one of the caves. Then one of the Englishmen went away and after a while he came back with Jasniff, and all hands went to another cave, close to the sh.o.r.e. We got into one part of the cave and overheard what the crowd said, through a crack in the rocks. We might have confronted Jasniff and demanded the jewels, but we saw that the Englishmen were all armed and they looked to be in an ugly mood, and Captain Sanders wanted no bloodshed if it could be avoided. So then Billy Dill and I said we would come back here and get Phil and the sailors."

"I should think you'd do your best to capture Jasniff," said Merwell.

"Do you want him captured?" asked Roger, sharply.

"Why not? He didn't treat me fairly-and he planned the robbery in the first place."

"Well, if you want him taken you had better help us," put in Phil.

"Say, Dave, if I help you catch Jasniff and get the rest of the jewels back, will you-er-will you let me go?" faltered Link Merwell, anxiously.

"I don't know-I'll see about it, Link," answered Dave, and that was as far as he would commit himself, for he remembered that this case was for Mr. Wadsworth and the authorities to settle.

"I'll help you all I can-just to get square with Nick!" muttered the big youth. "I'll show him that he isn't the only frog in the puddle."

"The sooner we go the better," went on the senator's son.

"I am ready now," returned Dave. "I'll not rest easy until Jasniff is caught and the rest of those jewels are recovered."

A few words more were exchanged, and then it was decided that the whole party should follow Roger and Billy Dill to the spot from whence they had come.

"Borden is very anxious to have the three Englishmen held," said the senator's son.

"I suppose he wants to get back his money," returned Dave. "I don't blame him."

The path was through the forest and then along a rocky ridge. Here walking was very uncertain, and Roger warned the others to be careful.

"An' if ye ain't careful ye'll go into a hole to Kingdom Come!" put in Billy Dill.

When the ridge was left behind they came to another patch of timber, and then walked through a small cave with a large opening at either end. In the center of this cave was a hole, at the bottom of which flowed an underground river.

"If ever an island was rightly named, this is the one," observed Phil.

"It is caves from one end to the other."

"Listen! I thought I heard voices!" exclaimed Dave, suddenly, and held up his hand for silence.

All listened closely and heard a faint murmur, coming from a distance.

"Sounds to me as if it was underground," whispered Phil.

"Yes, but from what direction?" asked Roger.

"I think it comes from over yonder," answered Dave. "Let us go there and make sure."

They walked on, soon coming to a spot where a place between the rocks was covered with a matting of long vines, much intertwined.

"Keep quiet!" suddenly exclaimed our hero. "I know where they are-behind those vines. There must be a cave there, and the vines make a curtain for the entrance."

"Who is it?" asked Merwell.

"I don't know yet. Wait, all of you remain here, behind the rocks, while I investigate."

As silently as possible, Dave crawled forward, keeping close to the rocks on one side of the cave's entrance. Soon he was up to the curtain of vines, and cautiously he thrust his hand forward, making a small opening.

At first our hero could see little, but as his eyes became accustomed to the gloom, he made out two forms lying on couches of vines, smoking. The forms were those of the two Englishmen, Pardell and Rumney.

"Well, Geswick ought to be coming back," Dave heard Rumney say. "He said he wouldn't waste any time."

"Maybe he had some trouble with that young fellow," returned Pardell.

"Say, do you know he's a queer stick? Where did he get those diamonds he offered for his pa.s.sage?"

"I don't know, but I rather think he stole them."

"Then perhaps he has more of the jewels."

"Just what I was thinking-and Geswick thought the same."

"If he has many of them--" The man paused suggestively.

"We might relieve him, eh?" returned the other.

"Why not? We cleaned out Borden. Two jobs of that sort are no worse than one."