"Well, it will keep her still for a while, at least," sighed Will.
"Whom do you mean?" demanded Mollie, catching him by the ear.
"Ouch! Let go! I meant my sister—of course. A fellow wouldn't dare talk that way about anyone but his sister," confessed Will.
Merrily they discussed the finding of the diamonds, and what disposition might be made of them. The strange actions of the men in the boat, too, came in for a share of attention. The girls were quite sure the men had hidden the box in the sand, though whether or not they knew of the valuable contents was a question.
"Well, they'll look in vain for it now," declared Betty. "We have it," and she glanced at the now empty receptacle.
"Better put it away," suggested her father. "If the servants see it they may ask awkward questions."
"I'll keep it in my room," said Betty.
"And I'll have another go at this cipher to-morrow," Allen said. "I have a new idea for solving it."
"I thought you were going to take us girls out in the boat to-morrow," objected Mollie.
"So I am. But I can be working on this between times."