IN THE CAVE
For a moment Frank and Andy were so surprised that neither one of them could think of anything to say. It seemed almost impossible that their search should be rewarded just at the time when they had given it up. Yet there was no mistake. There was the man they wanted. At least they assumed so, for they could not make out his features at that distance. At any rate, there was the wrecked motor boat, and the tall man was critically inspecting it.
"Look! Look!" was all Andy could whisper.
"Yes," assented Frank. "Now if he'll only let us get within talking distance, and not run as he always does, we may learn something. I wish we could steal up on him quietly."
"No chance of that, I'm afraid. He knows we're here. It was he who was walking around our boat."
"Sure; and he knows it's the one from the Gull. Well, the only thing to do is to go right up to him. I wonder what he wants with that boat, anyhow? See, he's poking into it as if there were gold or diamonds concealed in it."
"Perhaps there are. Maybe that's the mystery," said the younger Racer lad eagerly.
"Oh, you got that out of some of the books you read. But I can't understand how we could have missed him."
Andy did not answer. Instead he grabbed his brother and pulled him down on the sand behind the boat. It was only just in time, for the man had turned and was gazing back toward the overturned craft.
"I hope he didn't see us," whispered Andy.