Part 35 (1/2)

”We have a special reason for being here, as you may learn by to-morrow.”

”Do you know anything of a treasure on this island?” went on Sid Merrick curiously.

”We know something of it, yes. It belongs to the Stanhope estate, provided it can be found.”

”It doesn't belong to the Stanhopes at all--it belongs to me,” cried Merrick.

”In a day or two the Stanhopes are coming here to take possession,”

went on d.i.c.k. ”They will bring with them a number of their friends and uncover the treasure, which is now hidden in a secret place. As I and my brothers and cousins own this isle we are to have our share of what is uncovered. Now we warn you again to go away. We are ten to your four, and we are all armed with shotguns and pistols, and we have the drop on you.”

”Good for you, d.i.c.k, pile it on,” whispered Tom. Then he pulled Sam by the arm. ”Come on, let us appear from behind another rock--they'll think we are two more of the brothers or cousins!”

”You won't dare to shoot us,” bl.u.s.tered Merrick, but his voice had a trace of uncertainty in it.

”Won't we?” answered d.i.c.k. ”There is a warning for you!” And raising the pistol he carried he sent a shot over the heads of the other party.

”They are shooting at us! We'll all be killed!” yelled Tad Sobber, who had come back during the conversation, and again he and Cuffer took to their heels.

”Mind the warning!” called out d.i.c.k, and dropped almost out of sight behind a rock. At that same moment Tom and Sam appeared from behind a rock far to the left.

”Mind that warning!” they cried. ”Remember, we are ten to four!”

”There are two more of 'em,” cried Sh.e.l.ley.

”Confound the luck, what sort of a game is this anyway?” said Sid Merrick, much chagrined.

”Well, it is more than we expected,” answered Sh.e.l.ley. ”I, for one, don't care to risk being shot down. I reckon they have the bulge on us, if there really are ten of 'em.”

”I've seen but five--the three ahead and the two over yonder.”

”There are two more!” answered Sh.e.l.ley and pointed to another rock, to which Sam and Tom had just crawled. ”That makes seven.”

”Go back, I tell you,” warned d.i.c.k. ”We'll give you just two minutes in which to make up your mind. If you don't go back we'll start to shoot!”

”Come on back!” cried Tad, from a safe distance. ”Don't let them shoot you, Uncle Sid!”

”We'll go back to our s.h.i.+p,” called out Sid Merrick. ”But remember, this thing isn't settled yet.”

”If you have any differences with the Stanhopes you can settle with the folks on the steam yacht which has just arrived,” answered d.i.c.k, not knowing what else to say.

The party under Sid Merrick began to retreat, and d.i.c.k, Tom and Sam watched them with interest, until the lights faded in the distance.

Then Tom did a jig in his delight.

”That was easier than I expected,” he said.

”Even if we didn't scare them playing ghost,” added Sam. ”I wonder if they really thought we were ten in number?”