“Why, you little shrimp,” exclaimed George, pretending to be very angry and glowering down upon his stubby companion, “don’t you know that I have been joshing you fellows all this time? If there’s anything here worth working for you can be dead sure I’m willing to do my share. All I say is that you prove it to me first.”
“Why should we prove it to you?” inquired Grant. “Why don’t you get to work and help us prove it to ourselves? After we have found where the stuff is any one can go and get it. What we want to know is the spot where it’s hidden.”
“Quite true,” George admitted. “At the same time you must admit that you are all taking a great deal for granted. You seem to think that there is no doubt about there being treasure on the island and also that this code when deciphered will tell you just where it is.”
“We hope that’s the case,” said Grant. “Of course we can’t tell until we’ve found out what the code says. That’s what we’re trying to do now.”
“You’re right,” agreed George. “We must get to work on it at once.”
“We’ve been at work on it ever since we struck this island,” said Fred warmly. “Where have you been all this time?”
“Well, when I get down to business we’ll soon solve the riddle,” said George pompously. “I’ll soon get an idea.”
“Hit him, Grant,” cried John. “You’re nearest to him and we ought not to let such things live.”
George burst out laughing. “Forget those old numbers for a while,” he advised. “So far no one has been able to do anything with them, but if we let them alone for a few days we can go back to them with our minds fresh. Who knows, somebody might get an idea all of a sudden that would solve the whole business.”
“I wish somebody would,” sighed Fred.