Alex at once set about celebrating the receipt of the wonderful “cargo” by getting Frank such a breakfast as had not been seen on the Rambler since she had turned her nose out of the Mississippi. This characteristic expression of approval was seconded by the others, and all Frank’s efforts to induce the others to share his meal were ignored. Captain Joe deigned to accept a bit of the roast beef, but he did it as one conferring a great favor.
“Now, where did you get it?” asked Clay, when Frank drew back from the little cabin table and sought the cooler air under the awning which ran over the forward deck. “Did you know all the time that you could find it here? Then why didn’t you tell us?”
“Did you see anything of Ugly in there?” asked Case, his mind going back to the dark hours in the jungle.
“Ugly!” Jule exclaimed. “Why, that Indian is running yet.”
“Or the Englishmen?” persisted Case.
“We went in the wrong direction last night,” Frank replied, dodging the questions. “This morning, when it began to get daylight, I saw right where my tree hotel was, and went to it without difficulty.”
“You never found that in a tree!” Jule objected.
“Yes, I did,” answered Frank. “I found it in a tree because I put it in a tree on the way down. That is one reason why I wanted to get back in a motor boat. We could stop here without attracting attention and get the money.”
“But we did attract attention! And you said—you said you found the cargo here, in a tree, when you were on your way down the river!” insisted Alex.
“I did find it in a tree, but only after I had hidden it there,” Frank explained. “You see, as I have already told you, I was pursued on the way out, and, thinking I might be caught and searched—as I was—I hid the money in a tree—the money and, other things I valued more than the money. Then, after my pursuers went away, I went back to the tree and took out some of the money, and something else, and made my way out of the country.”