“Well, I simply can’t do anything but wait here.” thought Jack. So he waited - and in a minute or two he heard the sound of people in the cave he had left, and heard voices.
“He’s not here, Luiz,” said the voice of Mr. Diaz. “And he couldn’t possibly have gone down through the shore-cave, surely, or he would have been drowned.”
“Maybe he has tried, though,” said Luiz. “He might have been very frightened, and have leapt into the water and tried to swim away.”
“Well, if so, he’s gone,” said Mr. Diaz. “I can’t imagine that any one could swim down there! Listen to the water sucking in and out. It would be impossible even for a man to swim through that.”
“Well, if he didn’t go down there, where is he?” said Luiz rather sharply. “You don’t suggest that he is hiding in any of these small boxes, do you?”
“That’s enough, Luiz,” said Mr. Diaz, in an angry tone. “I can’t understand the whole thing - how did that boy get into the grounds and the house when the dogs were there? And how did he know about the secret passage? Where has he gone now? And what do you suppose he knows about the prince?”
“Well, if you really want to know what I think, I think that Anna the cook made a mistake,” said Luiz, sounding very bored. “I think maybe something fell down in the scullery, and Anna rushed in - and thought she saw a boy! And she screamed and made a fuss.”
“Well, maybe you’re right,” said Mr. Diaz. “Come on, let’s go back. He’s not here, anyway.”
Jack heard their scrambling footsteps going from the cave. For a while he caught the sound of their voices as they went up the secret passage. Then there was silence.
“My word, that was a narrow escape!” thought Jack. “Good thing I found this hole. I wonder if the tide is going out? It sounds less strong.”