Page:Dave Porter on Cave Island.djvu/310

292 "I'll search him first and then look around the room. Where are those officers?"

"They have their hands full just now with those Englishmen. But I'll call them if you wish it."

"No, just see that he doesn't get away," answered Dave.

A rapid search of Jasniff's clothing told our hero that the rascal did not have the gems on his person. Then Dave looked into the steamer trunk.

"Are they there?" inquired Captain Sanders.

"No."

"You'll never get them from me," growled Jasniff, and gave Dave a look that was full of the keenest hatred. "I'll go to prison for life before I'll give them up, now!"

"Watch him carefully," said Dave to the captain, and got down on his hands and knees in front of the berth in the room.

"Nothing under there!" cried Jasniff, but his voice had a trace of anxiety in it.

Dave felt around, but found nothing unusual. Then he lit a match and continued his search. Soon he saw where a board of the side wall had been pried loose and then shoved back into place. He pulled on the board and it came out, revealing a small compartment between two upright posts. In the compartment was something wrapped in a