"I'm sure I don't know," rejoined Captain Rangler, as if the subject was distasteful to him, "but there's another reason. You know what that is."
"Of course. But Barkentin is guarding him. Come on, let's waste no more time talking here, but get ashore."
Five minutes later, as many as could crowd into the boat were being pulled toward the little beach where the boys had landed. In the stern sheets sat Walstein, Dampier and Captain Rangler, the most bitter enemies the two young fugitives had on earth.
* * * * * * *
The ground above the beach sloped quite steeply. It was rocky and thickly grown with brush and low shrubs, and here and there large trees mingled with the undergrowth.
Stumbling and running by turns, the two young fugitives made their way over the uneven ground with some difficulty. But the thought of what lay behind kept them moving as briskly as possible. At last the character of the ground seemed to change. They emerged on a sort of rocky plateau.
At one side of this was a cliff, and at the base of the acclivity appeared a large hole, apparently the mouth of a cave.
"We may as well take a look in there," spoke Jack; "in case of pursuit it might make a good hiding place."
Sandy agreed that the cave was worth investigating. But before the two lads plunged into the dark entrance of the place they armed themselves with heavy sticks. Later they were glad they had taken this precaution.
The mouth of the cave was black and a curious damp smell issued from it. But the boys did not hesitate. With Jack in advance, they plunged into the tunnel-like entrance. The floor of the cavern sloped steeply downward and was dry and sandy. It was pitchy dark inside, but, luckily, Sandy had a small electric pocket lamp with him, which he flashed about. It showed the boys that they were making their way through a sort of semi-circular tube in the cliff. Just how far it extended they were, of course, unaware; but they decided to keep pushing on until they came to the end of it.