They hauled him aboard the raft where he carefully placed the small black bag behind him. He didn’t mean that the fellows should see it till he got ready to let them! Then he started to struggle with his suit.
“Better wait to take it off till we get back to shore, Phil. We hauled you up because there’s a bad storm brewing—looks like the beginning of a hurricane.”
“Did you find anything,” cried Steve, eagerly.
“Wait till we get back to shore and I’ll answer your question,” returned Phil, his voice sounding doubly mysterious, coming as it did from within the suit. “In a few minutes I’ll tell you everything you want to know.”
Something in his tone made them wild with curiosity but they knew Phil well enough to be sure that for the moment they would get no more from him.
They had no sooner reached land and pulled the boats out of harm’s way when the threatened storm broke furiously. They got Phil out of his suit and made a dash for the shelter of the cave.
Once inside they turned and faced him.
“Now—out with it!” they demanded.
CHAPTER XVIII
GOLD AND JEWELS
For answer, Phil extended the small black bag toward them. Dick grabbed it with a cry and the others crowded around him. Bimbo pressed close, his mouth hanging ludicrously open.