CHAPTER X.

AT THE TREASURE CAVE.

Slowly and steadily the Diver crept along the shore of the sunken island. The voyagers were on the qui vive.

“Perhaps Poole is there before us,” said Wade. “He has had plenty of time.”

But Frank was incredulous.

“I don’t believe it,” he said. “It would take him a long while to locate the exact spot. Hello! what is that?”

A dark object loomed up before the gaze of the voyagers. It required but a moment’s scrutiny to make it out as the hull of a sunken vessel.

It lay upon the shore of the sunken isle, and might have foundered at the time of the earthquake. She was a small schooner of the coast trading class.

The submarine boat sailed near to her and the searchlight was focused upon her. But there seemed no good reason for paying her a visit, so presently she was left behind.

But now developments came in swift order. Rounding a headland the Diver came upon a collection of partly demolished huts and other evidences of habitation. This was doubtless the village of the savage Caribs who had descended upon the gold hunters.

Wade was now much excited.

“We ought to be getting near the spot where the treasure is located,” he said. “I surely hope so!”

A few moments later a long cliff-wall was reached. Then a huge, dark-mouthed cavern yawned to view.

“Down with the boat!” cried Frank. “Let her rest here, Barney. This is the spot beyond doubt.”

The order was obeyed. The submarine boat rested upon the sands and hastily preparations were made for leaving the cabin.

As usual Barney and Pomp were left aboard. Frank and Wade quickly donned their diving-suits.

Then they left the cabin and soon were striding along the beach. They had not gone a dozen yards before Wade paused.

There, imbedded in the sand, was a skeleton. The fishes had long since eaten away all but the bones. Whether it was the skeleton of one of the gold hunters or a Carib it was not easy to guess.

Other skeletons were also found in the vicinity. Then they reached the mouth of the cave.

Here were found the rusted digging tools of the gold diggers. Also a huge cavity in the cavern floor was revealed.

And partly upon its verge there was a huge chest, with one end knocked out. In the chest was a heap of round objects. They were coins.

Much corroded they were, and as Frank and Wade picked up several of them it was hard to tell whether they were gold or merely silver.

There were others strewn in the sands of the cavern. The cavity in the sands did not seem to contain any other chest.

If this was the total amount of the treasure it certainly was small, and did not greatly pay for the effort to recover it. However, Frank and Wade had begun to make preparations to remove it when a startling thing happened.

Suddenly into the cavern there flashed a light. Astonished the two divers turned. Two forms were at the entrance.

It required but a glance to see that they were divers. Moreover, they wore the common diving-suit, hampered with life-lines and cords. In an instant the truth burst upon Frank and Wade.

They were beyond doubt members of the crew of the Meta. Indeed, Poole himself doubtless was one of them.

Frank and Wade placed their helmets together tightly.

“By Jove!” cried the young inventor, “we’re in a scrape now!”

“You’re right, Frank. I believe one of them is Poole himself.”

“There is little doubt of it.”

“What shall we do?”

“There is no way but to face them.”

“Will it be safe? Will they not attack us?”

“It is likely; but I can see no way to evade them.”

“Then we must defend ourselves!”

“Just so; our chances are as good as theirs, and we have an advantage in having no life-lines to bother us. Come along, we might as well meet them half way!”

Poole and his men, for there were now four of the divers in the cavern, had caught sight of Frank and Wade.

It could be easily seen from their actions that they were frantic and would present a hostile front. But Frank and Wade gripped the handles of their axes and marched steadily on.

In a few moments they were near the other divers. One of them was recognized as Poole.

The villain was the personification of fury. He swung his ax aloft and made a rush at Frank.

His companions did the same. It was fortunate for our friends that they did not come to close quarters. They evaded the attack, for they could move more easily.

Frank’s purpose was to get out of the cavern. He knew that if they were hemmed in there, their fate would be sealed.

So he motioned Wade to follow him, and, parrying Poole’s attack, hurled one of his foes back and with a swift rush gained the object. Wade came close behind him.

Once outside the cavern the danger was over. The rascals could follow them but a limited ways.

Back to the submarine boat Frank and Wade rushed. They clambered aboard and soon were in the cabin.

Barney and Pomp were astonished.

“Fo’ de lan’s sake,” cried the coon, “wha’ am de mattah? Wha’ hab happened?”

“Well, Pomp,” replied Wade, “we fell in with Poole again, as I feared we would. We gave him the slip, though.”

“Begorra, yez don’t say!” exclaimed Barney, in amazement. “Shure, howiver did the omadhouns git down here?”

Wade told the story, to the edification of Barney and Pomp. Meanwhile, Frank had been examining specimens of the coins which he had found.

Wade went over to him.

“Well,” he asked, “what do you make of them, Frank?”

“Nothing but silver,” he said. “A heap of pistareens—that is all.”

The scientist was astonished.

“Mercy!” he exclaimed; “what a disappointment that will be to Poole! He declared that millions in gold were buried in that cavern.”

“So his avarice is repaid,” said Frank, with a laugh. “Poor wretch! Let him have his treasure and all the good it may do him.”

“Then you will not interfere?”

“Certainly not.”

“Good,” cried Wade. “Let us then go on to Yucatan and finish our exploration of the sunken isthmus. We will leave Mr. Poole to the exclusive enjoyment of his much-vaunted treasure.”

“Just so,” said Frank. “Start the engines, Barney; let us get under way.”

Barney hastened to obey. As the Diver sailed away to the westward the searchlight was focused upon the cavern mouth.

There a curious scene was revealed.

Poole and his men were digging in the sands for the coins scattered by the Caribs. They seemed to act like madmen, so strong was the treasure fever upon them.

The submarine voyagers were glad to leave the sunken Isle of Mona behind them. The Diver glided on through the deep sea.

They made rapid course now toward Yucatan. The course was very easy to follow, the sunken isthmus being an established fact.

Many beautiful sights were daily witnessed in the sea depths. Many strange specimens were secured.

But no incident of a thrilling sort occurred until one day they had arrived within a few miles of Cape Catoche, as Frank estimated by his measurement of distance.

“It should be in sight,” he declared, “if we were on the surface.”

“Why not rise and take a sight at it to make sure?” asked Wade.

“We can,” agreed Frank.

So he stepped into the pilot-house and touched the lever. The next moment the submarine boat was flying upward.

Up out of the briny deep she shot, but the moment she emerged a disappointment was in store.

They had expected to sight the rugged headland of Cape Catoche directly in front of them, but they were in the midst of an impenetrable fog.

No object could be seen ten yards away. It was a discouraging predicament.

“Well!” ejaculated Wade, “here is a pretty how-do-ye-do! What is to be done?”

“I reckon we bettah wait fo’ de fog to lift, sah!” suggested Pomp.

“Bejabers, it may be a good while at that,” averred Barney.

“Oh, I think not,” said Wade. “What shall it be, Frank?”

“We will lay-to for a short while,” said the young inventor. “There can be no harm in that.”

So the Diver continued to rock upon the swelling surface of the sea, while the voyagers at times tried to pierce the fog with their eyes.

Perhaps an hour had passed thus when a curious thing happened. Out of the fog there came plainly to the hearing of all, voices raised in laughter and jest.

They seemed but a few yards away, and startled, the submarine voyagers instinctively looked, with the expectation of seeing a vessel bear down upon them out of the fog.

But none appeared.

One moment the voices appeared to sound in one quarter, and then they would change to another, even sounding directly overhead.

“Begorra, that’s quare,” cried Barney; “shure, they’re niver in the same place at all, at all. They must be thraveling around us, an’ divil a bit do I loike it! Shure, it’s a sorry place for banshees, but on me loife it may be that same!”

“Nonsense,” said Frank, sharply, “it is a common enough phenomenon, and due to the fog.”

“Right,” cried Wade. “Somewhere near us a ship is anchored and her crew are doubtless whiling away the time in games and pleasure. A peculiar condition of the atmosphere brings their voices to us.”

“Dat am berry funny,” said Pomp, in mystified tones.

“Begorra, yez are roight,” averred Barney.

But the voices presently died away, becoming fainter and fainter. Then the fog was seen to be in motion.

Gradually it lifted and the sea was seen north, south and east of them, but to the west there was a long line of coast.

A bold headland rose to view, and with a thrill of joy Wade cried:

“That is Cape Catoche. We have thoroughly explored the sunken isthmus. Our expedition has been a success. We have rendered science a mighty service, and have good reason to feel proud of it.”