Jo took a step closer to Andrew Simmer. All her wrongs and her father's surged over her, filling her with fury.
"You are a cowardly scoundrel, Andrew Simmer!" she cried, flaying the wretched fellow mercilessly. "You have wrecked my father's business. You have broken his heart and threatened his very life. You deserve to be hung!"
"Oh, no, spare me, spare me!" cried Simmer, in an agony of fear. "I will make restitution. I will do anything! Only spare my life!"
The prostrate tramp wriggled and tried to get up—whereupon Frank Gibbs joined Dodd Martyn on his chest. The tramp subsided, muttering imprecations.
"Then where," cried Jo, her voice thick with mingled hope and fear, "are my father's papers?"
For a tense second Andrew Simmer hesitated. Then he raised himself and pointed dramatically to the cave.
"In there!" he said. "You will find everything in there!"
The girls brought ropes from the launch and the boys bound their captives fast. Then, together, they thoroughly searched the cave.
Articles stolen from the gymnasium and the boathouse at Laurel Hall were brought to light, proving the identity of the robbers. Sadie found a packet of papers, evidently the loot from Miss Romaine's office desk.
But it was Nan who brought forth a black box marked with Mr. Morley's name.