Page:Dave Porter on Cave Island.djvu/240

224 "It's like a great, big sponge!" returned Phil. "Holes everywhere!"

"Take care that you don't slip down into some opening!" warned Captain Sanders.

In one of the passages they came across the remains of a meal and also some empty bottles. Then Dave saw some bits of paper strewn over the rocky floor.

"What are they, Phil?" he asked, and then both commenced to pick the pieces up. Roger helped, while the captain held the firebrand.

"Well, of all things!" cried the shipowner's son. "Now what do you make of this?"

"The chart!" cried Dave.

"Yes!"

"What chart?" queried the master of the Golden Eagle.

"The treasure chart those four Englishmen had," answered Dave. "Now what made them come here with it and tear it to pieces?"

"Hum!" mused the captain. "One of two things would make 'em do that, lad. Either they got the treasure and had no further use for the map, or else they found the whole thing was a fake and in their rage they tore the map to shreds."

"They must have gotten the gold!" murmured Roger and Phil.

"No, I think they got fooled," said Dave.