In the meantime Dave had run across the deck and followed Jasniff down the companionway. He was afraid that the evil-minded youth might hide the stolen jewels or throw them overboard.
When he got below he looked around, but could see nothing of the other boy. He ran along a passageway, peering into one stateroom after another, and also into the cabin and the pantry. Then he heard something like a cover drop near by and hurried in that direction.
Jasniff was in a corner stateroom on his hands and knees. Beside him was a flat steamer trunk, which was closed. It was the lid of this trunk that Dave had heard drop.
“Jasniff, come out of that!” ordered Dave, sternly. “Come right out and hand over those jewels.”
“Say, Dave Porter, you think you are smart, don’t you?” sneered the big youth, as he got up on his feet.
“Never mind what I think. I want those jewels, every one of them, and I am going to have them.”
“I haven’t any jewels.”
“I know better.”
“All right then, you can search me if you want to—and search my baggage, too,” went on Jasniff, and held out his arms as if willing to have the investigation begin on the spot.
“If you haven’t the jewels on your person, you have hidden them,” went on Dave. “Bring them out, right away.”