The others left Dan and Billy where they lay and rushed to the fireplace. Under the legs of the forge had been a loose stone in the hearth. One of the fellows pried it up. A cavity was revealed.
“We’ve got it! we’ve got it!” yelled one of the men.
“Shut up, I tell you!” exclaimed the leader of the three. “I tell you there must be somebody on this island besides these kids.”
“Aw, don’t be so scared, Tom. The kids just butted in. Friends of Dummy, proberly. Didn’t know no better.”
“They’ll know better now,” grumbled the cautious one. “We gotter beat it.”
“You bet,” agreed one of his fellows.
Meanwhile two of the men were lifting out what the hollow under the hearthstone contained. This was a heavy box, some two feet square, bound with iron bands, and padlocked.
“Knock off the lock and let’s see ’em!” exclaimed the more excitable fellow.
“No, we won’t,” declared the leader. “We gotter beat it.”
“How’ll we get away in this storm?”