When darkness came, Steve and two more burly ruffians made their appearance. They uncovered a box at the back of the cavern and, reaching in, drew out bread and canned fruit and vegetables. As the four sat feeding like a drove of swine, Ben observed Clay’s eyes fixed hungrily on the food.
“Why don’t you give the boy some of the chuck?” he asked, angrily.
“Here, kid,” he added, taking the handkerchief from Clay’s mouth, releasing his hands, and passing him a loaf of bread and tin of beef, “just help yourself to this table d’hôte dinner.”
Steve and the others snarled out their objections to this procedure, but Clay was finally left to eat his scanty supper in peace.
After the men had finished eating, they arose and threw their cans and bottles into a shallow annex to the cave on the south.
“I’m great for keeping things in order,” grinned Ben, giving a tin tomato can a particularly vigorous kick. “I always like to see things kept decent.”
The can bounded against the wall, fell to the floor and rolled down a dark incline, and Clay’s heart beat into his throat as he heard the splash of water.
[CHAPTER XX—LIFTING A SUNKEN LAUNCH]
After the departure from the Rambler of Clay and Alex, Captain Joe began exploring the little store rooms of the craft in search of cables and grappling hooks. He soon had quite a collection laying on the deck.
“What’s the idea, Captain Joe?” asked Case.