The Colonel thus appealed to, returned her smile. "There were moments," he gravely replied, "when I doubted whether either one of you was more than sixteen."
CHAPTER XIV
IN THE VAULTS
When Win finally appeared at Rose Villa, driven down in a closed carriage, the tale he related was of sufficient interest to banish from even Roger's mind the resentment he considered but just, after his long afternoon with Mr. Fisher. Those hours had been profitable, did Roger only choose to admit the fact, for the tutor had managed to galvanize into life the dry bones of an epoch in history. Roger would not acknowledge it even to himself, but on that stormy day he came rather near liking Bill Fish.
"That's a most exciting discovery, Win," said Mrs. Thayne when the tale was concluded. "But I'm afraid I agree with Colonel Lisle that the chances of finding anything are small, though you will have fun exploring. It is very kind of the Colonel and Miss Connie to permit such a troop to invade the Manor."
"I think they are just as interested themselves," Win replied. "The
Colonel was immensely pleased to have that legend confirmed."
Mrs. Thayne looked at him rather wistfully, wondering how much of the interest displayed by the Manor family was due to sympathy with Win. No doubt they liked him, for people always did. Well, she was glad that this unusual experience was coming his way.
"I'm crazy to see that cave!" Frances was saying. "Don't you remember, Edith, when we first met Miss Connie on the beach, she said something about looking for caves? I suppose she was thinking of this one."
"I've been in it," Roger suddenly announced. "Mr. Max took me. It's a very decent cave but there's only one place where a box could be hidden, on a sort of ledge above the water. We climbed up and if there had been so much as a snitch of a chest about, it couldn't have escaped us."
"You've been in the cave?" demanded Frances, pouncing upon him. "When did Mr. Max take you? Where were the rest of us? Why didn't you tell us?"