We walked on with our heads bent close to the ground. When we reached the spot where the rocks ended and the marshland began, we could for the moment distinguish nothing. “It’s lost,” said Ford soberly. “No; here it is,” I whispered, “and quite fresh, if I am not mistaken.” “An hour more and we’ll be lost in the dark. It must be every bit of five o’clock.” “Yes; and later. We lost a good deal of time down at the Bend.” After this we followed the footprints in silence. They took a roundabout course over the marshes, for which Rock Island was noted, and then gradually struck a direct path leading to the north. I was ahead, and carried the gun in such a fashion that it could be brought into instant use. “Go slower,” cautioned Ford; “they can’t be far away.” I slowed up, and listened intently. Some distance ahead I fancied I heard the murmur of voices. I nodded to Ford, and he came up close. “They are just ahead,” I whispered into his ear. “I wonder if there isn’t some sort of a hut beyond?” He shook his head. With my heart beating loudly I continued to advance, my companion close behind me. Presently we came to a number of big rocks, the ones, in fact, from which the island derives its name. Here we halted and listened once more. “You say some one followed you?” we heard the voice of Avery say. “Yes; two men,” was Mr. Norton’s reply. “I couldn’t make them out. They must be close to the island by this time.” “Then we must divide the booty, and get out as fast as possible,” said another; and I knew it was the man called Yates. “Put all the stones together, boys, here on this board, and we’ll draw lots for them, after dividing them into three parts.” Then I crawled up the rocks and peered over. Beyond was a rude shelter of boards, and sitting beneath it were the trio of robbers, with the stolen diamonds spread out before them. [Illustration] CHAPTER XXII. AN INTERESTING CONVERSATION. The sight of the three men with the stolen diamonds spread out between them was an interesting one to Ford and myself. The trio had a lantern, and in the rays of this the precious stones sparkled radiantly. “If we could only dash in and scoop the pile,” whispered my companion. “We want to scoop the men as well,” I whispered in return. “It won’t do to let them escape now we have found out their hiding-place.” There was a brief silence, and then Mr. Norton continued,―― “We’ve had a harder time getting this stuff than we anticipated, boys. If I had known what a job it would be I would never have agreed to the plan when it came up.” “It wouldn’t have been so hard if you had listened to my way,” put in Yates. “I can’t see why you wanted to drag in that boy over at the mill.” “That’s because you are not up to all the tricks of the trade,” laughed Norton. “If he had been anyway pliable we would all have escaped without half trying, and perhaps with more booty.”