Dave Porter on Cave Island: or, A Schoolboy's Mysterious Mission

Half an hour later Dunston Porter came driving up in a cab. He was plainly excited.

“I’ve got to go to New York at once,” he said. “I must look after some valuable investments in Wall Street. Do you think you boys can get along alone?”

“I think we can, Uncle Dunston,” answered Dave. “You know we are used to taking care of ourselves,” and he smiled faintly.

“Then go ahead and do as you think best.”

“We want Captain Sanders to start for Barbados as soon as he can,” went on our hero, and told of the telegrams received.

A general talk followed, lasting until Dunston Porter had to ride away to catch the train for New York.

“You must be right, and Merwell and Jasniff must be guilty,” he said. “And if they are, spare no expense in catching them. I think the quicker you start for Barbados the better. And as soon as you arrive do your best to locate the rascals and have the authorities arrest them. And above all things, keep your eyes open for the jewels, for we need them much more than we need to catch Merwell and Jasniff. To catch the rascals and miss the gems will do us no good.”

“I understand, Uncle Dunston,” answered Dave. “And if the jewels are anywhere around we’ll locate them.”

“Then good-by and good luck!” finished Dunston Porter, and in a minute more he was off.

As soon as he was gone the boys and Captain Sanders commenced preparations for the trip to Barbados. An extra number of longshoremen were engaged, so that the half-cargo to be taken along could be gotten aboard quickly, and the boys spent their time in buying such things as they needed for the trip.

“They tell me it is pretty warm down there,” said Roger. “So we had better buy some thin suits.”

“And we had better go armed,” added Phil. “No telling what trouble we may run into, in trying to corner Merwell and Jasniff. Merwell is no great fighter, but Jasniff is a brute.”

“Yes, I’ll take no chances with Jasniff,” answered Dave. He had not forgotten his quarrel at Oak Hall with that bully, and how Jasniff had attacked him with an Indian club, as related in detail in “Dave Porter’s Return to School.”

At last all was in readiness for the trip, and the boys and the other passengers, four burly Englishmen, went aboard. Fortunately, the Golden Eagle was well provided with staterooms, so there was but little crowding. Dave had a small room to himself and next to him were his chums, with Captain Sanders and the first mate opposite. Billy Dill was, of course, in the forecastle with the other sailors.

“It’s grand to have you along ag’in,” he said, to Dave and Phil. “Seems like old times, when we sailed the Pacific.”

“So it does,” answered our hero.

“Only ye ain’t a-lookin’ for no uncle this trip, be you?” And the old tar chuckled.

“No, Billy, we are looking for somebody quite different – two rascals who ran away with a lot of diamonds.”

“Mackerel an’ codfish! Ye don’t tell me, Dave! Your diamonds?”

“No, but some diamonds that were left with a close friend of mine. If they are not recovered, my friend will be almost ruined.”

“Jumpin’ dogfish! Then I hope you catch them lubbers! If so be I can help ye any, don’t be afeered to call on me,” added the old sailor, earnestly.

“All right; I’ll remember that,” replied Dave.

Early the next day the Golden Eagle slipped down the St. John’s River and past the jetties and the lighthouse into the Atlantic Ocean. It was warm and clear, with a good wind blowing from the west, an ideal day for the departure. The boys remained on deck, watching the scenery of the winding stream and then the fading shoreline, and then went below to arrange their belongings, for the trip to Barbados would occupy some time.

“I hope we don’t get seasick,” remarked the senator’s son.

“Well, if we do, we’ll have to stand it,” replied Phil. “But don’t let’s think about it.”

“What I am wishing, is that we’ll have good weather and a quick passage,” remarked Dave. “We can’t get to Barbados any too quick for me.”

“I was looking up the place in the shipping-guide,” went on Roger. “It’s not much of an island, only twenty-one miles long by fifteen wide. The whole population is only about two hundred thousand, mostly English.”

“The smaller the population the easier it will be to find Merwell and Jasniff,” was the comment of the shipowner’s son.

“Well, there may be a good many hiding-places on an island twenty-one miles long by fifteen miles wide,” added Dave, with a grin.

“Oh, we’ll rake the island with a fine-tooth comb, if we have to,” cried Roger.

“Roger, was your father quite willing to let you go on the trip?”

“Yes. He and mother are now in Washington, you know, and as the school is closed, I’d either have to go to the Capital, or stay with you. And I told him I’d much rather be with you and Phil.”

“And we are glad to have you with us!” cried Phil, and Dave nodded, to show that he felt the same way about it.

“What do you think about the other passengers?” asked Phil, in a lower voice, so that nobody else might hear.

“I don’t think I’ll like them very much,” replied the senator’s son. “That man named Geswick is very loud and dictatorial.”

“Yes, and the chap named Pardell is little better,” returned Dave.

“What line are they in, Phil, did you hear?”

“Oh, they are traveling, that’s all. They came to this country from London, and they are going back by the way of Barbados.”

“They seem to have some money.”

“Yes, but Captain Sanders told me that they hang on to it pretty well – more so than he at first expected they would.”

The first day passed rapidly and the Golden Eagle made good headway. The boys spent most of the time on deck, amusing themselves as best they could. They talked to Captain Sanders and his mate, and also visited with Billy Dill. Occasionally they conversed with the four Englishmen, but they noticed that the Britishers were inclined to keep to themselves.

“I guess it is just as well, too,” said Dave to his chums. “They are not our sort at all.”

“Unless I miss my guess, they have had some sort of quarrel among themselves,” remarked Phil. “They were disputing over something early this morning and again just before dinner.”

Several days passed, and the boys commenced to feel quite at home on the ship. None of them had been seasick, for which all were thankful.

“The weather has been in our favor,” said Captain Sanders. “If it keeps on like this, we’ll make Barbados in record time.”

“Billy Dill said he smelt a storm,” returned Dave.

“Hum! Is that so?” mused the captain. “Well, he’s a pretty good weather-sharp, I must confess. I’ll take another look at the glass,” and he walked off to do so.

The storm came up during the night, and Dave was awakened to find himself rolling from one side of his berth to the other. He arose, and as he did so he heard an exclamation from Roger.

“What is it, Roger?” he called out.

“I – I guess I’m seasick!” answered the senator’s son. “Gracious, how this old tub rolls!”