Part 43 (2/2)
”Oh!” Phil gave a start. ”Who is that in the bushes? Merwell, as sure as I'm alive!”
”Yes, Phil. And what do you think? I've got part of the jewels-Link had them in his money-belt.”
”Good enough! I was so afraid they had been lost out of that jewel-case. Did you make Merwell a prisoner?”
”Well, in a way. He might have run away a dozen times, but I guess he didn't want to be alone. Besides, he has quarreled with Jasniff. I'll tell you all about it later,” went on Dave, in a lower tone.
Merwell had halted and now he came shuffling into the temporary camp.
He nodded sheepishly to the s.h.i.+powner's son and to the sailors.
”Got ye, did they?” said one of the tars, with a sneer.
”Yes,” answered the culprit, meekly.
”Humph! You're a fine d.i.c.k to run away and steal jewels!” muttered the sailor, and turned his back on the youth.
”Where are Roger and Captain Sanders and the others?” questioned Dave.
”Gone after you, and after Jasniff and those three rascally Englishmen,” answered Phil. ”I said I'd stay here and try that trick with a column of smoke. I thought you might remember and look for it.”
”It was a good thing to do, Phil,” answered our hero, ”for it brought us straight to this spot.”
CHAPTER XXVII-BEHIND THE CURTAIN OF VINES
An hour went by and during that time Dave drew Phil to one side and related the particulars concerning the doings of Merwell and Jasniff, according to the story told by the former of the two evil-disposed youths.
”I think Link feels pretty sore,” he continued. ”So there won't be any use in rubbing it in.”
”What do you intend to do with him, Dave?”
”I don't know yet. We'll talk it over later on. The thing to do now is to locate Jasniff and get the rest of the jewels. Don't forget that he has the finest of the diamonds. That is one thing that made Link sore-Jasniff taking the lion's share.”
”Well, that was the way Jasniff always did, even at school. Now you've got back I'm willing to start the search for him any time you say,”
continued the s.h.i.+powner's son.
”We'll wait a while and see if Roger and Captain Sanders return,”
answered our hero.
He was glad to rest, and threw himself on a bed of moss the sailors had collected. Merwell sat against a tree, tired out, but too much worried to sleep. Evidently he was trying to decide on what to do next and wondering how he was to get out of the awful situation in which he found himself.
Presently a shout was heard, and Roger burst into view, followed an instant later by Billy Dill.
”h.e.l.lo, Dave!” cried the senator's son. ”Got back, have you?” And then he stared at Merwell. ”Oh, are you here, too?”
<script>