Dave Porter on Cave Island Part 46

"They'll be off before we can reach them!" groaned Dave. "Oh, do hurry, fellows!"

"I'm coming as fast as I can!" answered Phil.

"So am I," added Roger.

"You ought to shoot at them, if they won't stop," put in Merwell.

"I'll do what I can," answered our hero. He was wondering how far the present situation would justify the use of firearms.

At last the rocks were left behind, and the crowd found themselves in the fringe of palm trees lining the sandy sh.o.r.e.

"Do you see them?" queried Phil, who was getting winded from his exertions.

"No, I don't," returned Dave. He had looked up and down the sandy strip in vain for a sight of the Englishmen and Jasniff.

Beyond the beach was the reef with the ever-present breakers and far beyond this the ship they, had before sighted. The schooner lay-to with all sails lowered.

"There they are!" suddenly shouted Billy Dill. "Too late, boys, too late!"

"Where? where?" came in a shout from the lads and from Giles Borden.

"Look out there, by the reef. Don't you see the small boat in the breakers?" went on the old sailor, pointing with his bronzed hand.

All gazed in the direction he indicated, and Dave and Giles Borden could not repress a groan of dismay. For, riding the swells of the ocean, could be seen a small boat, manned by two sailors. In the boat sat four pa.s.sengers.

"That's Jasniff, I am sure of it!" cried Phil.

"And those three men are the fellows who robbed me!" muttered Giles Borden. "Oh, what luck! Ten minutes too late!"

"Can't we follow them in some way?" asked Roger.

"I don't see how," answered Dave. "Our rowboat is on the other side of the island. Besides, even if we had a boat, I don't believe we could catch them before the schooner got underway. Oh, isn't it a shame!"

And Dave fairly ground his teeth in helpless dismay.

"If we had a cannon!" murmured old Billy Dill. "A shot across the bow o' that craft would make the cap'n take warnin', I'm thinkin'!"

"Do you suppose any other boat is handy?" asked the Englishman.

"We might look," returned the senator's son.

All were about to run out on the beach when Dave suddenly called a halt.

"Don't do it," he said. "If we can't follow them, it will be best for the present not to show ourselves."

"How's that?" demanded Giles Borden. "It's a b.l.o.o.d.y shame to let them go in this fashion."

"If they see us, they'll know we are after them and they'll sail away as fast as possible," went on our hero. "If they don't see us, they may take their time in getting away, and that will give us so much better chance to catch them."

"Dave is right!" cried the senator's son. And the others agreed with him, and all kept concealed behind the row of palms and the brushwood and rocks. From that point they watched the small boat gradually approach the schooner until it was alongside. Then a rope ladder was lowered and the pa.s.sengers mounted to the deck, after which the rowboat was drawn up on the davits.

"What ship is that?" asked Phil.

"She is named the _Aurora_," answered Giles Borden.

"The _Aurora_!" exclaimed Billy Dill. "Do ye mean the _Aurora_, Cap'n Jack Hunker?"

"Yes, that's the captain's name."

"Why, I know him!" went on the old tar. "Sailed with him once, in the _Peter Ca.s.s_,-afore he took command o' the _Aurora_. Say, Dave, he used to be a putty good man. I can't see how he would stand in with sech fellers as Jasniff an' them thievin' Britishers."

"Perhaps he doesn't know what scoundrels they are," returned our hero.

"Oh, they haven't told him the truth, depend upon that," said Giles Borden. "They have fixed up some story to pull the wool over his eyes.

Most likely they'll tell him that I am the rascal of the party and that is why I am to be left behind."

"If the captain of the _Aurora_ is all right, it may pay to signal to him," mused Dave. "I wish I had known of this before."

"See! see! they are hoisting the sails!" cried Phil.

"If you are going to signal to the schooner, you had better do it pretty quick," advised Roger.

"I think I will. It can't hurt much-they are going to sail away, anyhow. Come on."

All ran out on the sandy beach, and Dave discharged his shotgun twice as a signal. The others waved tree-branches and brushwood, and Phil even lit some of the latter, to make a smudge.

But if the signals were seen, no attention was paid to them. Those on the schooner continued to hoist the sails, and presently the _Aurora_ turned away, leaving Cave Island behind.

As the schooner moved off Dave's heart sank within him. On board of the craft was Jasniff, and the rascal had the larger portion of the Carwith jewels in his possession.

"It's a shame!" burst out Phil. "Oh, why didn't we get hold of Jasniff when you collared Link!"

"Where is your own ship?" asked Merwell. "Why don't you find her and follow that crowd?" He felt as sour as ever over the thought that he had been captured while his companion in crime had escaped.

"I wish the _Golden Eagle_ would come in," answered Dave. "I can't understand what is keeping her, unless she suffered from that storm and had to lay to for repairs."

"And where do you suppose Captain Sanders and Smiley are?" put in Roger.

"I don't know. They may have fallen into one of the caves, or they may have been made prisoners by those who have sailed away."

"Prisoners? I never thought of that!" exclaimed Giles Borden. "Yes, it would be just like Geswick and those other scoundrels to treat them in that fashion."

"Well, it won't do us any good to remain here," went on our hero. "We may as well scatter and see if we can't locate the captain and the others."

This was considered good advice and tired as the crowd was, all went on the hunt, some up the sh.o.r.e and some down, and the others inland.

Dave and Roger walked down the sh.o.r.e, why neither could exactly tell.

They pa.s.sed the palms and brushwood, and leaving the sand, commenced to climb over some rocks. Then Dave began to shout.

At first no reply came to his calls, but presently he heard a groan, coming from behind the rocks.