With cautious steps they stole after the Merrick party, keeping them in sight by the waving rays of the lamp and lantern ahead, as they danced over the rocks and among the trees and bushes. They kept about a hundred feet to the rear.
"I"ve got a plan," said Tom, as the party ahead came to a halt to make sure of the trail. "Can"t we cut in somewhere and get ahead of them and then scare them back?"
"Let"s try it!" exclaimed Sam. "I am sure if we play ghosts, or something like that, we"ll scare Tad Sobber out of his wits."
"It"s a risky thing to do," mused the eldest Rover. "We might get caught at it."
Nevertheless, he was rather in favor of the plan, and when the Merrick party stopped again, for Cuffer to take a stone out of his shoe, they "cut into" the woods and pushed forward with all speed. It was hard work, but they were in deadly earnest, and did not let the vines and brushwood deter them.
"Now, the question is, How are we to scare them?" said d.i.c.k, after they had regained the trail, well in advance of Sid Merrick and his followers.
"Let us play ghosts?" said Sam.
"We might black up and play n.i.g.g.e.rs on the warpath, with big clubs,"
suggested Tom.
"And get shot down," interrupted d.i.c.k. "No, I think the ghosts idea is as good as anything. Quick, take off your coats and tie your handkerchiefs over your faces."
The boys had on light-colored outing shirts, and these, with the handkerchiefs over their faces, made them look quite ghostlike in the gloom under the trees.
"Now, when the time comes groan," said Tom. "Ghosts always groan, you know."
"And let us order them back," added Sam.
"But be sure to do it in very ghostlike tones," warned d.i.c.k. "If our voices sound a bit natural they"ll get suspicious at once. If they come for us, or shoot at us, drop behind the rocks and run into the woods."
It must be confessed that the boys were doubtful of the success of their ruse. Yet they felt they must do something to hold the treasure-seeking party in check, at least until morning. With the coming of daylight they could signal to the _Rainbow_ and with the aid of those on the steam yacht probably rout the enemy.
The Rover boys advanced along the trail until they reached a spot they deemed favorable for their purpose. Then d.i.c.k gave his brothers a few more directions.
Presently they saw the rays of the gas lamp and the lantern in the distance. At once Tom set up a deep groaning and Sara and d.i.c.k joined in.
"What"s that?" asked Sh.e.l.ley, who was the first to hear the sounds.
"Sounds like somebody in distress," answered Sid Merrick.
"Thought you said there was n.o.body on this island?" came from Cuffer.
"Didn"t think there was. Maybe it"s some native who----"
"Look! look!" screamed Tad Sobber and pointed ahead with his hand.
"What"s that?"
"What"s what?" asked the men in concert.
"There--that thing bobbing up and down over the rocks?" And Tad Sobber trembled as he spoke. This lonely walk through the darkness of the forest had somewhat unnerved him.
"That"s strange," muttered Merrick. "It"s groaning!"
"It"s a ghost!" screamed Tad, and shrank back, as did Cuffer and Sh.e.l.ley.
"A ghost?" repeated Sid Merrick. "Nonsense! There are no such things as ghosts."
"It cer--certainly looks like a--a ghost!" faltered Cuffer.
"It is a ghost!" said Tad, his teeth beginning to chatter. "I--I ca--can hear it gro--groan! Come on ba--ba--back!" And he began to retreat.
"Back with you!" came in solemn tones. "Back with you!"
"No white man must come here," said a second voice. "This is sacred ground!"
"He who sets foot here dies!" came from a third voice. "This is the burial place of the great Hupa-hupa! Back, if you value your life!" And then followed a jabbering n.o.body could understand, and white arms were waved wildly in the air.
This warning was too much for Tad Sobber, and without further ado he took to his heels and retreated down the trail whence he had come.
Cuffer followed him, and Sh.e.l.ley also retreated several yards.
"Stop, you fools!" cried Sid Merrick. "Those are no ghosts, I tell you.
It"s a trick of some kind."
"I--I don"t know about that," answered Sh.e.l.ley. "Don"t you think it would be better to come here in the daylight? We--er--we can"t find that cave in the dark anyway."
"Yes, we can--and I am going to do it, too," was Merrick"s answer.
"That is a trick, I tell you." He raised his voice: "Who are you?" he called out. "Answer me truthfully, or I"ll fire on you!"
This threat alarmed the Rover boys, for they saw that Merrick was in earnest.
"I guess our cake is dough," muttered Tom.
"Wait, I think I can scare him back yet," said d.i.c.k. "Let me do the talking."
"I say, who are you?" repeated Merrick. "You needn"t pretend to be ghosts, for I don"t believe in them."
"We are the owners of this isle," answered d.i.c.k, in the heaviest tone he could a.s.sume. "We are ten strong, and we order you to go back to your ship at once."
"The owners of this isle?"
"Yes."
"I don"t believe it."
"You can do as you please about that. But if you come a yard further we"ll fire at you."
"Humph! Then you are armed?"
"We are--and we know how to shoot, too."
"What brought you here at such a time as this?"