Part 34 (1/2)
”Maybe it's a camp of some sort,” replied Roger. ”It seems to be quite a distance away.”
”Shall we go and see what it is?”
”Hadn't we better get the others first, Dave?”
”All right, if you think best.”
So they continued on the way to where the rowboat had been left. They came up to find that Captain Sanders and Phil had not yet returned.
Smiley was snoring on the sand, while Billy Dill sat near by on guard.
”Find anybody?” queried the old tar, eagerly.
”We found one of the caves, and we saw a light at a distance,”
answered Dave. ”We want to investigate that light, as soon as the others get back.”
Dave and Roger sat down, to rest and to wait, and thus another half-hour went by. With nothing else to do, Billy Dill took a nap, and the boys allowed the old sailor to slumber on.
”It's queer the captain and Phil don't return,” remarked Roger, presently. ”They must have gone much further than we did.”
”Maybe they fell into one of those caves, Roger.”
”Oh, I trust not!”
Another half-hour went by and still the others did not put in an appearance. By this time Dave was getting worried.
”Let us take a walk along the sh.o.r.e and look for them,” he said, and Roger agreed, and they started off.
They had covered less than a quarter of a mile when they came in sight of a campfire, well-hidden between the rough rocks back from the water's edge. Around the campfire were huddled the forms of several men, evidently sailors.
”Perhaps those men are from the _Emma Brower_,” said Dave, in a low tone.
”I don't see anything of Captain Sanders and Phil,” remarked the senator's son.
”No. And yet they must have seen this campfire, if they came this way.
What can it mean, Dave?”
”I don't know.”
”Shall we go up to the campfire and talk to those fellows?”
”I don't see why not. I am not afraid of them.”
”Do you see anybody that looks like Jasniff or Merwell?”
”No, those fellows are all plain sailors, by their outfits.”
Dave continued to advance and Roger followed, and neither halted until he was within the glow of the campfire. Then Dave called out:
”h.e.l.lo, messmates!”