CHAPTER XXVII
BEHIND THE CURTAIN OF VINES
An hour went by and during that time Dave drew Phil to one side and related the particulars concerning the doings of Merwell and Jasniff, according to the story told by the former of the two evil-disposed youths.
"I think Link feels pretty sore," he continued. "So there won't be any use in rubbing it in."
"What do you intend to do with him, Dave?"
"I don't know yet. We'll talk it over later on. The thing to do now is to locate Jasniff and get the rest of the jewels. Don't forget that he has the finest of the diamonds. That is one thing that made Link sore—Jasniff taking the lion's share."
"Well, that was the way Jasniff always did, even at school. Now you've got back I'm willing to start the search for him any time you say," continued the shipowner's son.
"We'll wait a while and see if Roger and Captain Sanders return," answered our hero. He was glad to rest, and threw himself on a bed of moss the sailors had collected. Merwell sat against a tree, tired out, but too much worried to sleep. Evidently he was trying to decide on what to do next and wondering how he was to get out of the awful situation in which he found himself.
Presently a shout was heard, and Roger burst into view, followed an instant later by Billy Dill.
"Hello, Dave!" cried the senator's son. "Got back, have you?" And then he stared at Merwell. "Oh, are you here, too?"
"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 shore. 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 passage?"
"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."
There was a period of silence, and Dave moved back as quietly as possible to where he had left his companions.
"Rumney and Pardell are there, in a long cave," he whispered. "They are waiting for Geswick and, I think, Jasniff."
"But where are Captain Sanders and Smiley?" asked the shipowner's son.
"I don't know. Perhaps they are watching Jasniff and Geswick—or maybe they have captured those rascals."
"Oh, let me get at Pardell and Rumney!" cried Giles Borden. "I'll teach them to rob me!" And he started forward, flourishing a heavy stick he had picked up.
"Wait! wait!" returned Dave, and caught him by the arm. "Don't go yet. Let us lie low until Geswick comes, and maybe Jasniff. We may be able to capture all of them."
"Can we handle so many?" asked Roger.
"I think so. Anyway we can try. Remember, Captain Sanders and Smiley may be following Geswick and Jasniff, and if they are, they'll come to our aid."
"I'll wait, but it's a hard thing to do, don't you know," grumbled the Englishman who had been robbed.
"We had better set a guard, so that we are not surprised," advised Phil. "Supposing we scatter around the rocks and in the vines?"
This was agreed upon, and it was also agreed that Dave should give a whistle when he wanted an attack made.
After this came a long period of waiting. All remained silent, until, of a sudden, everybody was startled by a distant cannon shot.
"What in the world can that mean?" cried Phil, who lay close to our hero.
"It's a shot from a ship's cannon, and it came from the direction of the shore!" returned Dave.
"It may be some sort of a signal."
"Do you suppose it's a summons to Pardell and Rumney?"
"It may be. Wait, I'll look into the cave again and see what they are doing."
Losing no time, our hero crawled forward once more to the position he had before occupied. Then he pushed the vines aside and looked into the long cave.
He could not suppress a cry of consternation. The two Englishmen had vanished!
"They are gone!" he called to his companions.
"Gone!" repeated Phil and Roger.
"Don't tell me that!" fairly shrieked Giles Borden. "I must catch them and get back my money!"
"Where did they go to?" asked Billy Dill, as he pushed through the curtain of vines.
"They must have left the cave by some other opening," answered Dave. "Come on, we'll soon find out!" And into the cave he rushed, his chums and the others in the crowd following.
"I see another opening!" cried Merwell, a minute later. "Look!" And he pointed down a passageway to the right.
"That's the way they must have gone!" exclaimed Giles Borden. "After them, all of you! If I get back my money, I'll reward you well!"
And on he sped, with Merwell close at his heels and the others following.
"I don't know if we are on the right track or not," said Dave, to Phil and Roger. "This cave may have other openings."
Hardly had he spoken when there came a yell from Giles Borden, followed by a cry from Link Merwell. Both had fallen into a small hole that was filled with water. Each was much shaken up, but unhurt.
"It's a broken neck somebody will get if we are not careful," said one of the sailors. "I'd rather be on the deck of a ship any day than on an island like this."
Soon they were out in the open once more. They were on a rise of ground, and not a great distance away they could see the shore and the rolling ocean.
"A ship!" cried Roger.
"But not the Golden Eagle!" returned Dave. "It must be the vessel that was to stop for the Englishmen."
"It is! It is!" bawled Giles Borden. " And look, there they are on the shore, ready to embark, all of them!"
"Yes, and Jasniff is with them!" added Dave, Phil, and Roger in a breath.