“But now,” said Nicky, soberly, “what to do about the gold!”
They had, of course, told all their adventures.
“Now that you are all right,” Lieutenant Sommerlee said, “I feel that we shall have to let the gold wait. What I am interested in is not gold but—hi-jackers!”
“And pirates,” added Cliff. “Don’t forget they are in a stolen boat—the Libertad belongs to one Ortiga, and the other one has it.”
“But, Lieutenant,” protested Nicky, “if you get the hi-jackers we’ll get the gold. They have it!”
“That is true,” agreed the officer. “At the moment I am puzzled about the course through which we can secure either men or gold.”
Nicky jumped up eagerly.
“When the Senorita was running away,” he reminded his chums, “remember that Tew told us they would hide up in Shark River?”
“I do,” agreed Cliff.
“And Sam, when they took his sloop, thought the men said something to the two on her about bringing liquor cases or cases of liquor, and something was said about sharks——”