“Too late now,” mourned Joe. “We’ll have to make the best of it, I guess. But I’d feel a lot better if we had some way to warn Dad and Bob and the others. Perhaps they’ll walk right into a trap set by those Arabs.”
The cave in which they were guarded was in the side of a wall of rock, which was several hundred feet above the surrounding mountains. From their lofty positions the Americans could look out over scores of miles of rugged country.
Dr. Kirshner had his binoculars strapped over his shoulder and took them out to view the distant panorama. The binoculars were of very high power, made by a well-known firm.
Suddenly his eyes fell on something that made him gasp in astonishment.
“The cave of riches!” he cried. “I can see it! And there are five or six Arabs walking inside!”
CHAPTER XXIII
Met by Enemies
DOWN a little valley between two high mountains rode four explorers, their eager eyes penetrating every crevice and notch in the mountainous country about them. High-power binoculars were turned upon every level stretch, rifles were fired at regular intervals, voices were brought to new swells. It was a search that under ordinary circumstances would have brought Dr. Kirshner and Joe back in a very short time.
Finally, after the searchers had been out several hours and darkness was beginning to fall, Mr. Lewis stopped and buried his face in his hands. He realized that defeat was staring them in the face.