“Then they sailed, just as we feared!” returned Dave, and there was something like a groan in his voice.

“Wonder if they took the jewels,” murmured Roger.

“Most likely, Roger,” answered Dunston Porter.

“But what would they do with them in such an out-of-the-way place as Barbados?”

“I rather imagine their plan is to keep quiet for a while, until this affair blows over. Then they’ll either return to the United States, or take a British vessel for England. Barbados is an English possession, you must remember, and a regular line of steamers sail from there to England.”

“I wonder if we couldn’t charter a steam tug and go after the bark?” mused Dave.

“It might be done,” returned his uncle. “But I doubt if we could catch the bark, or even locate her. She has too much of a start.”

“Was the bark going to stop at any ports along the way?” asked Phil.

“She was not,” answered the young shipping-clerk.

“Then there is nothing to do but to sail for Barbados after them!” cried Dave.