This move did not come a minute too soon, for while it availed little at the Ditini place, it came just in the nick of time at the place where Ronombo resided. The authorities found the old grandfather hard at work in a cellar under the house and there was uncovered a fair-sized iron chest which, when opened, was found to contain about one quarter of the securities taken from The Rover Company’s offices.
“Well, anyway, we’ve got that much,” declared Jack. “Now the question is—what did these rascals do with the rest?”
Ditini and Ronombo refused to talk, but Captain Astora said he would make them speak later, indicating that he would have the bandits put through what is popularly called by the police “the third degree.”
As speedily as it could be done word was sent to New York of what had been accomplished at Mendelopaz, Nogistalia and in Merida, and how the securities so far obtained were safe in a bank in the city. Then the folks at home were assured that the authorities would do all in their power to get from Ditini and Ronombo whatever was left of the rest of the loot.
“Well, we’ve got those two rascals and we’ve got between forty and fifty thousand dollars’ worth of the securities they took,” said Jack, when the excitement had somewhat subsided. “I call that a pretty good night’s work!”
“It certainly is a good piece of work!” declared Fred. “Especially as there is such a good reward offered for the capture of those two bandits. Just the same, I hope we can get on the track of the rest of those securities. If not, it’s going to be a terrible blow to The Rover Company.”
The boys had communicated with Captain Corning and he at once came up from Progreso to Merida to see if he could be of any assistance.
“Of course if you boys want to stay here and see what the authorities can get out of these two bandits, you can do so,” said the master of the Firefly. “But now that I have let Olesen and Amend go, I feel that I ought to continue the hunt for the Margarita without delay. If I don’t, those fellows may organize a hunt of their own and get ahead of me.”
“Well, I don’t see what more we can do here,” replied Fred, who, now that the excitement over the capture of the bandits had come to an end, was as eager as ever to look for the lost yacht. “I move we start on the hunt again and then come back here in a few days or a week and see what is doing.”
“Did you manage to find another diver?” asked Jack.