“Yes, that won’t do, Ladle. There’s no help for it now; there’ll be no secret caves. You must tell your father to-night, and he’ll take proper possession of the place. If he don’t, every one in the island will come and plunder.”
“Yes, that’s right,” said Mike; “but it’s a horrible pity. I am sorry. But what shall we do now?”
“There’s only one thing I can think of now—yes, two things,” whispered Vince: “either go up and stop him, fight for it and not let him come; or hide.”
“Hide?” said Mike dubiously.
“Yes, down here in the sand. It’s dark enough. We could cover ourselves.”
“Or go and hide in the other cave,” said Mike. “Yes, we’ll get the rope and grapnel, and get up into the great crack, pull the rope up, and we can watch from there.”
“That’s it,” said Vince. “We only want to gain time till Sir Francis knows.”
“And your father,” said Mike. “Fair play’s a jewel, Cinder. Look sharp! Come on!”
They listened in the gloom of the inner cave for a few moments, and then Mike led the way to the opening between the two caves, passing behind the rock, and as he did so he turned to whisper to his companion—
“Perhaps he won’t find this way through.”