Page:Dave Porter on Cave Island.djvu/281

Rh "Then perhaps he has more of the jewels."

"Just what I was thinking—and Geswick thought the same."

"If he has many of them" The man paused suggestively.

"We might relieve him, eh?" returned the other.

"Why not? We cleaned out Borden. Two jobs of that sort are no worse than one."

There was a period of silence, and Dave moved back as quietly as possible to where he had left his companions.

"Rumney and Pardell are there, in a long cave," he whispered. "They are waiting for Geswick and, I think, Jasniff."

"But where are Captain Sanders and Smiley?" asked the shipowner's son.

"I don't know. Perhaps they are watching Jasniff and Geswick—or maybe they have captured those rascals."

"Oh, let me get at Pardell and Rumney!" cried Giles Borden. "I'll teach them to rob me!" And he started forward, flourishing a heavy stick he had picked up.

"Wait! wait!" returned Dave, and caught him by the arm. "Don't go yet. Let us lie low until Geswick comes, and maybe Jasniff. We may be able to capture all of them."

"Can we handle so many?" asked Roger.