“Sure!” he declared. “Sure I did! What of it?”
“Two dozen cakes at one gobble!” laughed Case. “Now, you can get ready to cook more. Land of Promise! Twenty-four—count 'em—twenty-four at one mouthful! If I had your capacity I’d—”
Then Alex began to sense the situation. He glanced from Case to the place where the cakes had just stood in a rich, brown column. Then his eyes roved about until they encountered Captain Joe and Teddy consoling each other on the prow of the boat. They certainly couldn’t have done it!
“Did you get ’em?” he asked, hopelessly, of Case? “Did you cop 'em out to prevent our getting indigestion?”
“You ate them yourself!” Case returned, half angrily.
Alex grinned and placed his hands at his lean waist.
“I don’t seem to find ’em anywhere,” he laughed. “Not on me!”
“Then where did they go?” demanded Case. “Who did get them?”
Alex walked to the rear window and opened it. The sash swung inward on hinges, and was not locked, but it rarely was locked. Then he thrust his head out of the opening and looked down on the small deck. There was no one there.
“The old Nick is in the place!” Case cried, presently. “I can smell sulphur in the air! Suppose we get out of this?” he added, as Clay came into the cabin. “This ain’t no place for a Christian gentleman!”