several extra large rocks, came to a halt with a grunt of dissatisfaction.
"Well, what now?" questioned Anderson Rover.
"It's gone!"
"What, the cave?" asked several.
"Yes—she's gone, swallowed up, busted!" an swered the old tar. "Thet air earthquake done it an' no error," he went on. "It jest shook thet pile o' rock wot made the cave into a heap, and there's the heap."
Bahama Bill pointed in front of him, where a large quantity of rocks lay in a scattered mass, many of them ten and twenty tons in weight. At one point was what he said had been the entrance to the cave, but this was completely blocked by the stones.
"Vot's der madder, can't've get in?" queried Hans, with a look of real concern on his honest face.
"That doesn't look like it," answered Fred. "Too bad, and after coming so far for this treasure, too!"
"We must get in there somehow!" cried Dick.
"Why can't we blow up the rocks with dynamite," suggested Tom.
"We can—but it will take time," said his
