Then floods came, there were several visitations of snakes, and, in terror, he fled to the hill, where he found the cave that he made his home, only going occasionally to the hut. He had been away from it for several days when Noddy and his companions took up their abode there. So despondent and gloomy was Mr. Bentwell over his plight that he withdrew to the cave altogether, and stayed there, living on scanty food. He did not come out, and so did not see the airship making trips over the island.
“But now I am saved!” he cried. “Let us get away from this awful place!”
“I am willing,” agreed the professor. “I have my valuable toad.”
“But we haven’t the radium,” said Jerry.
“I do not believe it is here,” said Mr. Bentwell. “I searched all over for it, and found not a trace.”
“Yes, we saw your notes,” spoke the professor. “I saved what were left of them for you.”
The weather soon became pleasant again, and the river went down. But the boys in their airship remained on the hill, as they liked it better there. Jerry asked for three days more in which to search for the radium treasure, and the others agreed to this.
“Well, I give up,” admitted Jerry, on the afternoon of the third day, when, after a wearying search, he and his two chums were returning to the Comet. “We’ll start for home to-morrow morning. Mr. Bentwell is well enough to travel now.”
“I sort of hate to go back empty handed,” spoke Ned regretfully. “It’s the first time we ever had a real failure.”