That night the _Raven_ pulled up anchor and left the vicinity of the island. Before morning she was crowding on all steam, steering straight for the spot where the sunken treasure ship had gone down. On board of the _Swallow_ there was much anxiety when Dave and the engineer did not return. Captain Broadbeam did not deem it advisable to acquaint Amos Fearless with the true state of affairs at once. When the old diver asked where Dave was, he was told that his son and Bob Vilett had determined to stay out until the next day. In the meantime poor Dave remained a prisoner in the cave. His wet clothing gave him something of a chill during the night, and morning found him sick and hungry, and almost ready to give up in despair. It was scarcely daylight when Dave heard odd-sounding footsteps approaching from the outer entrance of the cave. He strained his eyes and at last made out a large wild animal. It was a savage-looking jaguar, and had tracked the footsteps of those who had come to the cave the day before. Presently the jaguar came to the underground stream. Here it paused for a moment, then leaped to the other side. It was now less than fifty yards from where Dave stood, a prisoner. Suddenly the wild beast lifted its head, stared into the darkness, and gave a growl of rage. It had discovered the helpless boy! CHAPTER XII WELL-TIMED SHOTS "I am lost now for sure!" Such were the words which escaped Dave Fearless' lips as he watched the approach of the jaguar that had entered the cave and leaped the underground stream. The young diver had long since given up trying to loosen the bonds which held him so tightly to the jagged rocks. Pete Rackley had done his villainous work well, and the efforts to get free had only caused the cords to sink deeply into Dave's wrists and ankles, until now the blood was flowing freely from those members. And it was this blood which the wild beast of the island forest had scented! The growl of the jaguar echoed and re-echoed throughout the lonely cave, causing Dave to shiver as with the ague. It did indeed look as if the young diver's last hour on earth had come. "Hi, go away!" he cried, frantically. "Go away! Scat!" The cries caused the jaguar to pause while yet fifty feet from the youth. [Illustration: "THE JAGUAR HAD DISCOVERED THE HELPLESS BOY."] It had never before attacked a human being, and the new experience caused it to proceed with caution. But now it advanced again, crouching low on the cavern floor, its two eyes glowing like balls of fire in the semi-darkness of the retreat. Nearer and nearer came the beast, until Dave imagined he could feel the hot breath of the jaguar upon his cheek. Then the tail of the animal began to oscillate slowly, showing that the jaguar was preparing to make a leap. Bang! bang!