Page:Dave Porter on Cave Island.djvu/195

Rh "We saw it was a chart," answered Dave, and looked knowingly at his chums, to make them keep silent.

"It—er—it belongs to Mr. Pardell and he is very particular about it," went on the Englishman. And then without another word he walked away.

"My, isn't he sweet!" muttered Phil.

"Just as sweet as a can of sour milk," answered the senator's son. "Dave, I guess you wish you had allowed that map to blow overboard."

"Not exactly that, Roger. But he might have been a little more thankful for saving something that he thinks so valuable."

"Do you think there is anything in this treasure idea?" questioned Phil, after a pause.

"No, Phil. That is, there may be some lost treasure, secreted by the pirates and buccaneers of old, but I doubt if anybody will ever find it—excepting by accident."

"If there was a treasure on this Cave Island, we might hunt for it," went on the shipowner's son.

"Phil, don't let that bee get into your bonnet!" cried Roger. "Many a man has gone crazy looking for pirates' gold. Better drop it, and think of how we are to round up Merweli and Jasniff."