“Here’s for a revel! Bring him along! Who? John!”
“That will answer for the present,” John managed to say. “Save the pieces! I want to see a little of the world yet!”
It took a long time for John to describe how the cavern had been opened by himself, and how he had engaged men to work the gold out during the night-time, and how it had been secretly shipped away, and how all the money it brought lay at Frank’s disposal in a bank at Para!
But the story was told at last, and then the Rambler landed the surgeon and all went up to John’s hut to see the two men who had fought each other for an empty cavern! John’s servant opened the door for them and pointed silently to two bunks standing next the wall. The figures on the bunks were still, and a white cloth was laid over each face.
The boys turned away and went back to the Rambler. And so the quest for the Cloud island gold ended, and so the secret of Cloud island was told.
The boys remained a week at Cloud island, and then, accompanied by John, started back down the Amazon. Before leaving, Frank gave to John what was left of his father’s estate, and the latter refused to accept any other reward for getting out the gold. The honest fellow had long ago been taken into the confidence of Frank’s father in the matter of the gold, and so it was, after all, no great wonder that he had found it!
His idea in not acquainting Frank with the true condition of affairs before the boy left for Chicago, was that the boy ought to go about a bit and learn the value of money before taking such wealth into his boyish hands.
Then followed more magnificent days and nights on the Amazon. The boys were now in the midst of the wet season on the upper river, and many of the camps they had made on the way up were under water. However, the Rambler behaved admirably, and Captain Joe seemed so proud of her conduct in the face of the flood that he was always found looking over the stern with an air of dignity and triumph!
And so, with Jule completely restored to health, the boys stepped out on the pier on the South Branch one sharp day in early winter. And who should be there but Captain Joe, with his ruddy face and wooden leg! The dog immediately made friends with him, of course, and, in order that names might not become mixed, was called merely “Joe” as long as the boys remained in the city.
When they set foot on the pier that first day Clay turned to Frank and seized him by the neck, in mock anger.