Page:Dave Porter on Cave Island.djvu/189

Rh in violence, and by nine o'clock in the morning the wind was blowing close to a gale. Both the captain and the mate were on deck, and the former advised the boys and the other passengers to remain below. Two of the Englishmen were very seasick and found all manner of fault because of the storm.

"I'd never have come on this treasure hunt had I known I was to be so sick!" groaned one.

"What bloody luck!" said the other sick man. "All the pirates' gold in the world is not worth it!"

"Stow it!" cried the man named Geswick. "You know you weren't to mention what we were after."

"Nobody can hear us, in this storm," replied the first man who had spoken.

"Those boys might hear," put in the fellow named Pardell.

"Oh, well, they are only boys. Besides, they'd not dare to follow us up to Cave Island"

"Hush, I tell you!" cried Geswick, savagely. "Do learn to keep your tongue quiet." And then the men continued to talk in whispers.

Dave had been passing the staterooms of the Englishmen during this conversation and he could not help but hear what was said. When he rejoined his chums he told them of the talk.

"They must be on the hunt after pirates' gold,"