“And now, the question is,” went on the captain, “whether the charter and the family jewels are anywhere in the cavern through which the lost stream runs.”
“It seemed to me,” Clay broke in, “that the cavern was big enough to hold a small sized city. It is just the kind of a place where one would naturally hide valuables.”
“It seems to me,” Alex complained, “that the hardest part of our job is still to come, even if we have discovered the lost channel. We can’t go up there and dive through the whirlpool, as Clay did, because the outlaws would perforate us before we got anywhere near the falls.”
“I’ve been thinking of that,” Clay said, “and I believe there is a way to get into the cavern without getting wet. When I lay in the cavern, high up on the ridge, before being taken to the shore, the men with me emptied several tin cans of food and pitched them into a corner of the cavern. One of the cans was sent along with a kick, and I heard a splash of water when it fell.”
“Je-rusalem!” cried Alex. “Show me where that cavern is, and I’ll take a rope and go through the opening where the can fell!”
“What would these fellows on shore be doing all the time you were reaching the cavern?” asked Case.
“I am certain,” Clay went on, “that there is an opening from the floor of the cavern to the chamber in which the lost river runs, for when I came down, I saw a blur of light about halfway through the journey.”
“That settles that part of it, then,” Captain Joe said. “We’ll have to wait for a suitable opportunity and get into the chamber by way of the cave. And now,” he continued, “I propose that we move out to the bay or the St. Lawrence, where we won’t be under the guns of the enemy, and cook several square meals. Honest, boys,” he went on, “I’ve been so worried lately, that I’ve almost lost my appetite.”
“Yes,” Case laughed, “I notice you consumed only half a dozen of those Bismark pancakes for breakfast.”
The Rambler was dropped down to the bay with the launch still by her side, and, once out of rifle shot, the boys enjoyed the freedom of the deck.