Page:Dave Porter on Cave Island.djvu/123

Rh "Poor fellow!" said Mr. Wadsworth, tenderly. "We must do what we can for him."

"Is anything missing besides the jewels?" asked Dave, while they were waiting for the doctor to come, and waiting to hear from the others who had gone out.

"No, Dave. But that is enough. If they are not recovered, I shall be ruined."

"Can they hold you responsible for the loss?"

"Yes, for when I took the jewels to re-set I guaranteed the safe return of each jewel. I had to do that because they were afraid some workmen might try to substitute other jewels not so good—which is sometimes done."

"And you said they were worth seventy-five thousand dollars?"

"All of that."

"Those robbers certainly made a haul."

"It drives me crazy to think about it," groaned Oliver Wadsworth.

"Perhaps the others who went out will catch them," answered our hero, hopefully.

Soon the doctor arrived and took charge of old Tony Wells, whom he knew well. As Wells was a widower, living alone, the doctor said he would take the old man to his own home, where he could have constant attention.

"He is already in a fever," said the physician. "We had better not try to question him at