The Go Ahead Boys and the Treasure Cave Part 29

"What Pop said was probably true," remarked John.

"What was that?" asked Grant.

"Why, that all of a sudden somebody would get an idea and the whole thing will be solved. I think that's what will happen myself."

"I hope so," exclaimed Grant. "I wish it would be soon, too."

"Maybe Pop already has an idea," laughed Fred.

"I doubt it," said John. "Where is he anyway?"

"He went for a walk."

"Where?"

"I don't know. He just said he was going for a walk."

"Well, let's go down and take a swim," exclaimed Fred. "It's awfully hot and a little water certainly wouldn't hurt me."

"I should say not," laughed John. "I never saw so much dirt on any man's face in all my life. You're a sight."

"I know it," Fred agreed. "Still," he added, "I found a couple of gold pieces, didn't I? And I'm always willing to get dirty under those conditions."

"I guess you are," agreed John. "How much do you suppose they're worth?"

"Well," said Grant, "they look to me about the size of a twenty-dollar gold piece. They ought to be worth thirty-five or forty dollars easily enough."

"Just imagine finding a whole chest full of them," exclaimed Fred, his eyes shining. "Why, we'd never have to do any work as long as we lived."

"We'd soon get tired of doing nothing, I'm afraid," said Grant. "Anyway we haven't found them yet."

"Don't talk about it," exclaimed John. "That code is the most maddening thing I ever saw."

The three boys now were walking down towards the sh.o.r.e. Their favorite spot in which to swim was the little ledge from which they had watched the many colored fish and the various forms of sea-life the first day they had landed on the island. Here the water was deep and the ledge made an excellent place from which to dive.

A few moments later the three friends were puffing and blowing about in the water enjoying themselves immensely. Their bodies from long exposure to the rays of the tropical sun were tanned until they might have been easily mistaken for South Sea islanders or some other natives of the hot climates. Their hair, too, had grown long, for it had been many weeks since they had seen a barber. What few clothes they wore were beginning to hang in rags so that altogether they presented a strange appearance.

Any chance visitor to their island might have thought he had run across the remnants of some wild race of savages.

"Well, that was pretty good, I should say," said John luxuriously as he stretched himself out on the rocks alongside his two companions.

"It surely was," agreed Fred. "This is about the best part of it, though."

"What is?"

"Lying out in the sun this way. Doesn't it feel good?"

"It couldn't be better," agreed Grant. "Isn't this a lazy life?"

"It's a good one, though," said John. "Just think, we haven't a thing to worry about. All we have to do is swim and sleep and lie around in the sun."

"I should say we had plenty to worry about," said Fred.

"Getting home, you mean?"

"Yes. We can't stay here all our lives, you know."

"Of course not," John agreed. "We'll be picked up some day though, sure.

We can't do anything in the meantime that will help us to leave here, so what's the use in worrying about it? That's the way I feel."

"That's all right, too," exclaimed Fred. "Still, it's a very strange thing that we don't ever see any boats. We may be here for years."

"What if we are? That doesn't make anything to worry about either."

"How about the treasure?" demanded Grant. "Doesn't that worry you?"

"Sometimes it does," admitted John. "I'm princ.i.p.ally worried for fear some boat will come along and take us away before we find it."

"Let's all go back to the cave and make another try at that code,"

exclaimed Grant, springing to his feet.

"I've got to go in that water again before I do anything else," said John. "It certainly is wonderful to-day."

"All right," agreed Fred. "One more dive."

Three bodies flashed through the air and disappeared beneath the water with a resounding splash. A moment later and three heads came to the surface.

"Coming out?" demanded Grant, blowing the water from his nostrils and shaking the hair out of his eyes.

"I think I'll take a little swim," said John. "I'll be out in a minute."

"We'll wait for you," said Fred. "Don't be long."

"I'll be right out," exclaimed John as he struck out with long powerful overhead strokes in the direction of the open sea.

Grant and Fred clambered out upon the little ledge and began to put on the few pieces of clothing that they possessed.

"I certainly do feel fine," exclaimed Fred as he took in a deep breath of the pure air that was blown upon them straight up from the waters of the sea. "The air is fine to-day."

"Well, it ought to be, every day," laughed Grant. "After it has traveled a couple of thousand miles across the water it ought to be pretty nearly pure."

"And have no dust in it," added Fred.

"That's right," said Grant. "Where's John?"

"I don't see him," said Fred, turning to look for his companion. "I hope he didn't try to swim out very far. That's always a fool trick, I think."

"Where is he?" exclaimed Grant, somewhat alarmed at not discovering his friend.

"There he is," cried Fred suddenly.