“It’s just like the big fish that gets away,” returned Fred. “But, anyway,” he added, his face brightening, “they must know the exact spot now.”
“They do,” answered his cousin. “Phil writes that as soon as the vase slipped out of sight he and Barry took a piece of fish line, weighted it well, and let it go down to the bottom. Then they tied a bit of board to the top of the line, and on this hoisted a rag on a stick so they could see the board from a distance. He wrote this letter the day after the thing happened and said they were going out again just as soon as it stopped raining.”
“They’ll get it, I’m sure of it!” declared Jack.
“Well, I’ll feel better when that silver trophy is safe in the glass case in the gymnasium,” answered Randy.
All was going well with the folks who were taking the steam yacht trip, and for this the boys were thankful. They had a letter from Sam Rover, and from this learned that he and Jack’s father were exceedingly busy in Wall Street. There was also a letter from Dick Rover, but this was for Tom. When the latter received this communication he read it with great satisfaction.
“Your dad is right on the job,” he said to Jack. “He had been communicating with two other stockholders in the Rolling Thunder mine and has got them to put their proxies in my hands. That means that I can vote for them at any meeting of the stockholders that may be called. Those two men represent a hundred and ten thousand dollars’ worth of stock. And that means that I can get along without Leeds if I have to. All I shall want now is the backing of Mr. Renton and Mr. Parkhurst and then I’ll be ready to put the screws on Garrish.”
The boys told Tom Rover of having seen Tate, and this interested the twins’ father at once.
“You want to keep your eyes open for that rascal,” said Tom. “He used to be in cahoots with Davenport, and he may be yet.”
“We’ll watch out for him, never fear,” answered Jack.