“But she couldn’t get the real ones!” persisted Dick.
“She did not know she was throwing them over!”
There was another chorus of amazed exclamations.
“Explain that,” commanded the millionaire sharply.
“She—did—not—know—that the real emeralds—had been—hidden—in the life preserver she used!”
“Who put the real ones there?” Larry spoke abruptly in the astonished silence.
He did not need to have her reply. Captain Parks was red and white by turns.
“I hid them to keep them secure!” he stammered, turning toward his employer. “I had no wish to take them. I felt—sure—nobody knew the combination of the cabin safe—but I couldn’t say that a clever man, some ‘Jimmy Valentine’ fellow, might not get in. So I decided to hide the real emeralds—and what was safer than a life preserver?”
While eyes were fixed on him, surprised, accusing, unbelieving, he spoke haltingly to his employer:
“I hope you’ll take my word for it, sir.”