“We do not know.”
“Then it is gone?”
“Yes.”
Loud and bitter curses broke from Dooley’s lips. He ran forward almost to the air-ship’s rail.
“Then there has been some treachery at work,” he declared—“some hocus-pocus game. I tell you there is the mound where the gold was——”
He turned suddenly and sprang upon the mound. A glance into the interior satisfied him.
With livid face he descended. He came nearer to the air-ship’s rail.
“Where can that gold have gone?” he asked, huskily; “has some other party been here before us?”
“I cannot answer that question,” replied Frank; “but one thing is certain, the gold is gone. Our theory is that the ship’s crew departed for the shore with it and were overtaken by the tidal wave on the way.”
“In that case the gold is with their bones.”