“Oh, I don’t know,” said George. “It’s all sand down around that end of the island and we can use sticks and anything we can get hold of.”
“An’ mah knife,” added Sam eagerly.
“Yes,” agreed Grant. “That knife will help a lot.”
“We can get Snip to use his beak on the tough spots,” suggested Fred.
“Yes,” laughed George. “By the way he dug into my hand he ought to be able to tear holes in the ground without any trouble at all.”
“Let’s get to sleep,” said Grant, “and at the crack of dawn to-morrow we’ll be down at the old shark rock with our compass and String’s shoe ready to make ourselves wealthy.”
It was an excited little party that turned in presently and dreamed of gold and treasure unheard of all the rest of the warm tropical night.
CHAPTER XXV
ON THE BEACH
The sun had scarcely made its appearance above the horizon the following day when the inmates of the cave were astir.