“If they get that stuff packed into suitcases at Marmette’s place, they will load it aboard the boat they’ve got, and then, to play safe, they can run up the river for a short distance and get away by train,” continued Frank. “Only, they’ll get away without the jewels in that box unless some one takes an inventory.”
The chief started noticeably.
“By jove,” he exclaimed, “that’s a fact! They are taking suitcases to pack that stuff in, and that means that Jed will have to make good with the jewels. Wonder what that might do to things?”
Frank was developing the same idea in his own mind. The whole thing was exciting to the last degree. There might be a showdown between Jed Marmette and these two men who seemed to have engineered and carried out the plans for the robbery—in which case there might yet be a chance to catch them.
“There’s the place!” Lanky called out in a hoarse whisper. “Shall I keep the spotlight open or shut it off?”
Frank peered far over the wheel and they saw they had reached the island where the willows grew so far over the river.
“Turn it off, Lanky. I’ll slip in as easily as I can, though we’ve got to keep the motor going. Every one keep still.”
When the light snapped out they were in total darkness for several seconds, but finally their eyes accustomed themselves to the peculiar light that stretches over bodies of water at night.
Frank reduced the speed of the Rocket, and it seemed that the exhaust did not make as much noise as they might have expected. However, any one with an ear for such noises could easily have recognized the exhaust of a motor-engine from a long distance.
“Look! See that light?” The chief pointed to a yellow spot which dodged here and there for a moment through the bushes and small trees along the river bank on Marmette’s side.