"It ain't in no wall!" burst out Danny, ere he had stopped to think twice. "It's—" He stopped in dismay.
"Ha! so you have located it!" cried Joseph Farvel.
"It ain't in no wall, fer de papers don't read dat way," went on Danny, bound to smooth matters over. "It's behind a monument wid lions' heads and carved snakes, and such t'ings around it."
"A monument with lions' heads?" queried Farvel, in bewilderment. "All right—if you know best." He paused. "Then you won't form any partnership?"
"No," said Robert Menden; and all of the others agreed with him.
Without another word, Joseph Farvel ordered his helpers to gather his things together. He was on the point of appropriating one of old Jacob's ropes when the sailor stopped him.
"Take yer own, an' no more," he said, sternly; and Farvel dropped the coil. In a minute more he and his party made off and soon disappeared over the mountain top.
"That was a bad break, Danny," said Dick, when Farvel was out of hearing.
"So it was," murmured the Irish lad. "But I guess I t'rew him off de track wid dem lions' heads an' snakes, don't you?"
"Perhaps so; but be more careful in the future."
"I think the best thing we can do is to hide our traps, after this," observed Leander. "Who knows but what Bumbum or Farvel may be after them."
"That Carib may be watching us even now," said Don. "Let us search the bushes and see."
This was done, but nobody was brought to light. Then the outfit was hidden in a dense hollow, under some vines, and off they started for the Dark Cave once more, carrying all their ropes, as well as a stout canvas bag, with them.
They now felt thoroughly at home on the mountain top, and set a straight course for the Dark Cave.
It promised to be an exceedingly warm day, and they had not proceeded far before all were bathed in perspiration.
"This is too bad," observed Don. "We won't want to go underground while we are so hot. We may get a chill."
"We can rest awhile at the entrance to the cave," said Robert Menden. "We'll need it before climbing over the rough rocks to where that crack is located."
Reaching the entrance, they threw themselves on a grassy bank in the shade to rest.
Although they did not know it, Joseph Farvel was close at hand, and now watched them intently.