“And Lieutenant Sommerlee took us around to Miami, and we stayed there several days, unloaded the gold bars, had the bank assay and value them, and deposited—oh, a heap for everybody!”
“And of course the hi-jackers were sent to prison,” Tom added.
“Has anyone been found belonging to the old Governor’s family who should rightfully share in our find?” asked Mr. Neale.
“Yes,” said Mr. Gray. “An old, widowed lady, and she will be very glad of the money for she is poor.”
The boys were glad for her, and unselfishly voted to add a little from their plenty to help the lady. Later she refused to take more than a fair part, for that, she said, would keep her in easy circumstances for the rest of her life.
While the boys were adding details of their adventure and discussing what they might do with some of the gold, and Mr. Neale and Mr. Gray were comparing notes on the gold figures and silver placques of a looted Inca city which had been secured later from the treasure key, a knock came at the door and Ma’am Sib, the old voodoo woman, came in with a goggle-eyed boy of dark skin and about ten years old.
“Who sen for Ma’am Sib?” she demanded in her high, querulous tones. “Did you, white sirs?”
“We did,” Nicky stated. “We, the three members of a secret order as powerful as any in the world.”
She looked at him sharply to see if he was joking or trying to make her feel ridiculous. Oddly enough, Nicky was really serious.
“This won’t be a lecture, Ma’am Sib,” Cliff added. “But we want to show you something about voodoo that even you won’t guess about. If you can tell us how it’s done, we’ll be glad.”