“Say!” exclaimed Tom, greatly excited. “Your pin must have been in that box he left in his motor-boat, when the craft was wrecked on Crest Island and when the Boxer Hall cups were taken. By Jove! This brings that robbery home to me all right!” and Tom looked strangely at Ruth.
[CHAPTER IX]
ON CREST ISLAND
“What do you mean?” cried the girl, impressed by Tom’s strange manner.
“Why, didn’t you hear? This jeweler had been going about collecting work for repairing, and left a lot of it in a box in his boat. Then he was called away suddenly, and remained away over night. A flood came up, swept his boat away, wrecked it on Crest Island, and we four fellows found it there. But the jewelry case was empty. Didn’t you hear that—and about the Boxer Hall cups?”
“I believe I did,” answered Ruth, slowly. “But I did not know then, that my brooch was in that box. Oh, Tom, do you suppose it could be on Crest Island?”
“I don’t know, Ruth. The box was empty when we found it, and we think someone located it before we did, and rifled it.”
“Oh, Tom, my dear pin! If grandmother hears I’ve lost it she’ll never forgive me—and then her pearls, too; not that I care so much about them, but this pin was given her by her husband, when they were courting, and she thought the world of it. It was made abroad, of a peculiar pattern, and never could be replaced. It was an heirloom, and she must have thought a lot of me to let me take it.
“Oh, I just can’t bear to tell her it is gone! Maybe we can find it. Perhaps it is on the island yet. Maybe it dropped from the box. Tell me; was Phil along when you found the box?”