“Lay low and listen,” says he.
“For what?”
“To find out if they’ve discovered the treasure yet.”
“Where’ll we hide?”
“That’s what we’ve got to find out.”
There didn’t seem to be a soul in camp, for everybody had run over to the side where the attack on the skeleton was going on. They seemed to be looking hard for the folks who stuck it up, and there was a great running around and hollering. It gave us a fine chance to nose around.
Right in the middle of the camp was a big hole, with trenches running off from it in all directions. It looked like they intended to dig up the whole enclosure in their hunt for the treasure, and it did look as if they hadn’t found it yet. Not far from the hole was a pile of supplies all covered with a tarpaulin, and we crouched behind it and listened. It sounded as if the men were making a systematic hunt for us along the beach. Lanterns were bobbing around and getting farther away.
“They’re going to comb the whole place between here and town,” says I.
“Fine,” says he, “the longer they stay, the better.” And then he slapped his knee. “Whee!” he says kind of soft, but like he was tickled to death.
“What’s the idee?” says I.