"Where is the treasure?" he cried to Clayton, while yet a hundred feet separated them.
Clayton shook his head.
"Gone," he said, as he neared the professor.
"Gone! It cannot be.Who could have taken it?" cried Professor Porter.
"God only knows, Professor," replied Clayton."We might have thought the fellow who guided us was lying about the location, but his surprise and consternation on finding no chest beneath the body of the murdered Snipes were too real to be feigned.And then our spades showed us that SOMETHINGhad been buried beneath the corpse, for a hole had been there and it had been filled with loose earth.""But who could have taken it?" repeated Professor Porter.
"Suspicion might naturally fall on the men of the cruiser,"said Lieutenant Charpentier, "but for the fact that sub-lieutenant Janviers here assures me that no men have had shore leave--that none has been on shore since we anchored here except under command of an officer.I do not know that you would suspect our men, but I am glad that there is now no chance for suspicion to fall on them," he concluded.
"It would never have occurred to me to suspect the men to whom we owe so much," replied Professor Porter, graciously.
"I would as soon suspect my dear Clayton here, or Mr.Philander."The Frenchmen smiled, both officers and sailors.It was plain to see that a burden had been lifted from their minds.
"The treasure has been gone for some time," continued Clayton.