Down in the ocean depths, Poole and his men had been at work digging out the supposed mighty treasure of the Isle of Mona.
Every skeleton was unearthed and the sand around it closely sifted. Thus the coins were recovered.
Also further excavations were made in the cavern, but without success.
However, believing the coins to be gold, the villain was fairly well satisfied. He piled them into the chest and had it hoisted aboard the schooner.
“Ha,” he muttered, “I was just in time to foil those dogs. They were sure of beating me, but Hardy Poole has staked too much upon this game to lose. Curse them, I will some day have a chance to settle the score with them.”
With this venomous decision he removed his diving-suit and had begun to examine his treasure when an incident occurred.
One of the men who had been in the shrouds cried:
“Sail ho!”
“What?” cried Poole, with a sudden start. “Bearing our way?”
“Yes.”