While the captain was still below with a couple of his crew, superintending the arrangements in the hold that had contained the barrels and planks, it happened that the diver, who was down, gave a signal, and those on the float commenced hauling at a rope.
“Hello! something’s coming up!” exclaimed Ballyhoo; and with that all of them crowded to the side of the little deck to watch, the three prisoners as well as Oscar and his chums.
The men had no trouble as long as the bag was in the water, but as soon as they attempted to raise it to the float it became necessary for both to exert themselves to the utmost.
Then the stout sack was turned inside-out, and three of those dull-looking, brick-shaped bars came tumbling out. Oscar instantly glanced at the face of Anstey. He saw the other stare as though he could hardly believe his eyes, for, of course, a man of his varied experience knew without being told what those singular looking objects must be.
“By thunder! you did hit the cache, didn’t you?” he exclaimed, his eyes fairly sparkling with avarice, as he fixed them upon those three dull-looking bricks that he knew would mean a nice little fortune for any one lucky enough to get them in his possession.
Just then the captain appeared, coming up from below. He frowned when he saw how accident had revealed more than he wanted the prisoners to know. However, it could not be helped now, since the “cat was out of the bag.” And if his plans carried as he expected, this information would never reach Badger until it was too late to profit him, since he must only find a plundered hulk left behind, as the treasure hunters sailed for their next destination.
So the three men were ordered to follow him below, their hands being once more freed from the bonds. Captain Shooks watched their every movement, and made no bones of showing a pistol he carried.
Later on he came up again, and looked satisfied that he had gotten rid of a nuisance.
“They’ll not be able to break out of the cargo hold, I’m thinking,” he told the boys, who, by their demeanor, were expecting some sort of explanation from him, which the obliging skipper was only too willing to give.
“How long do you think we will be able to work here without being bothered by that old piratical cutthroat, Badger?” asked Ballyhoo, who did not seem at all particular how he called names.