Page:Dave Porter on Cave Island.djvu/186

172 weather and a quick passage," remarked Dave. "We can't get to Barbados any too quick for me."

"I was looking up the place in the shipping-guide," went on Roger. "It's not much of an island, only twenty-one miles long by fifteen wide. The whole population is only about two hundred thousand, mostly English."

"The smaller the population the easier it will be to find Merwell and Jasniff," was the comment of the shipowner's son.

"Well, there may be a good many hiding-places on an island twenty-one miles long by fifteen miles wide," added Dave, with a grin.

"Oh, we'll rake the island with a fine-tooth comb, if we have to," cried Roger.

"Roger, was your father quite willing to let you go on the trip?"

"Yes. He and mother are now in Washington, you know, and as the school is closed, I'd either have to go to the Capital, or stay with you. And I told him I'd much rather be with you and Phil."

"And we are glad to have you with us!" cried Phil, and Dave nodded, to show that he felt the same way about it.

"What do you think about the other passengers?" asked Phil, in a lower voice, so that nobody else might hear.

"I don't think I'll like them very much,"