"Never heard of it," returned Jalway. "It sounds like a flim-flam. Where did you hear about it?"
"Through a friend." Elger was eyeing Jalway carefully. "Forget it. Go on with your story."
"In Havana," resumed Jalway, "we all went ashore. Hadlow took Francine about the city; the old professor went to a museum. Only the captain and Feldworth were aboard the yacht when I returned unexpectedly.
"A flock of Cuban stevedores were loading some boxes aboard the Maldah. They took them into the cabin, then came out and went away. I saw the captain come from the cabin. Figuring that Feldworth was in, I strolled up and rapped at the door. Feldworth admitted me. He thought I was the captain coming back. The boxes were gone."
"Where were they?" asked Elger.
"I'm coming to that," explained Jalway. "I must have looked about in rather curious fashion, because Feldworth guessed that I had seen the boxes. He shut the cabin door and took me into his confidence."
"Regarding the contents of the boxes?"
"Yes. It appears that Feldworth had met a wealthy Cuban in New York. One of those fellows who had to scamper from Havana after the revolution. The Cuban had left a million dollars' worth of rare curios buried in Havana. He was hard up; he sold the lot to Feldworth for two hundred grand. But Feldworth had to get the stuff."
"He managed it without trouble?"
"Yes. The Cuban had told him where the stuff was buried. He also gave Feldworth the names of certain loyalists in Havana. Those chaps were the stevedores - fake ones, of course - and they delivered the goods aboard the yacht. Went after the stuff pronto when Feldworth told them where it was stowed."
"Where did Feldworth put the boxes?"
"In a secret compartment at the end of his cabin. He opened it and gave me a look into one of the boxes. I had a flash of some rare stuff. Jeweled hangings - cloth of gold - enough to tell me that the million-dollar talk was true."
"So that," mused Elger, "is why Kingdon Feldworth prefers not to abandon his stranded yacht."
"Absolutely," stated Jalway. "You know the laws of salvage. A claim on the cargo as well as the ship itself. It isn't the Maldah that Feldworth cares about. He wants to get that stuff ashore. That's why he's sticking to the ship."
ELGER nodded. Exhaling pipe smoke, he studied Jalway closely, expecting some suggestion. It came.
"Suppose," said Jalway. "that raiders went after that yacht? They could massacre the crew, get the stuff ashore, and take for cover. This cavern would be as good a hideout for Feldworth's stuff as it is for the swag you've already got."
"It would," agreed Elger, "and there would be no trouble in disposing of the goods."
"You're getting it," said Jalway. "The only fellow who might blab would be the Cuban. And he'd keep quiet. He's gotten his dough."
Elger nodded. Ruff eyed his chief. The lieutenant, too, was seeing possibilities. He expressed them.
"With that mob from the Dalmatia," put in Ruff, "we'd have a cinch, chief! This looks like a pipe -"
"Restrain your enthusiasm, Ruff," interposed Elger. Then, to Jalway: "Continue with your story. Tell me about your actions here on Timour Isle."
"That's easy," stated Jalway. "Now that you know the inside of the game. When the lifeboat hit the beach, we encountered opposition. Then we came to your house. You welcomed us and told us that there were desperate characters hereabout. You fooled me. Perfectly."
"Yet you decided to look about the island -"
"Certainly. Because I figured that the Maldah would get stranded somewhere. I was going to go out through the window of my bedroom; then I figured that might be bad if found out. So I picked the living room window instead."
"And your purpose was to hunt up the outlaws?"
"You've guessed it. I figured if they were tough enough to bump Hoskins, they'd be good enough to form a pirate party and go after the Maldah. I wanted to make contact with the outlaws. I felt sure they must be at the lower end of the island."
Elger was almost convinced by Jalway's story. The portly supercrook held to one lone, lurking suspicion. He decided to settle it by a final quiz.
"Where were you last night?" demanded Elger. "At the time when the shots were fired?"
"Outside again," returned Jalway promptly. "I still wanted to contact the outlaws. Golga was in the living room, blocking me; but when I heard him go back to your den. I hurried to the living room. I loosened the frame and scrambled through."
"After the shots were fired in the den?"
"I didn't hear any shots. I was starting to close the window when I heard Dashler rousing every one from the front hall. I thought it best to come in; but I left the frame as it was. When you discovered it and sprang your theory regarding an outsider. I thought you were trying to cover up the fact that you bumped Dalavan."
"Evidently," chuckled Elger, "we each gave the other undue credit. I suppose you thought that I was still trying to play innocent tonight?"
"I did," rejoined Jalway. "That's why I chanced a bold stroll on the beach. I still wanted to meet up with the outlaws."
ELGER pulled a penciled sheet from his pocket. He studied the notations then spoke to Jalway.
"The night when Golga learned that you were out," declared Elger, "he saw a light beneath Francine Feldworth's door and also heard the girl moving about. He entered the professor's room and saw the old man asleep in his bed. He heard Dashler snoring, when he stopped outside the sailor's door. He thought that he heard Seth Hadlow cough."
"What has that night to do with it?" queried Jalway. "I have already admitted that I was out of the house."
"One of those four people," declared Elger, "was responsible for the deaths of Dalavan and Golga. That is why I am trying to check on all of them."
"Last night is all that counts," persisted Jalway. "Just the same, I see your point. Golga wasn't sure about Hadlow."
"That's it," acknowledged Elger. "I have an idea that Hadlow was looking about from the start. If so, he is the man who encountered Dalavan; and finished Golga as a sequel. Hadlow is the man that we must watch. He may know too much."
Elger pocketed his notes and turned to Ruff Turney.
"Ruff," said Elger, "when you go out to the Dalmatia, tell the captain to stand by. Tell him that you are bringing out some boxes loaded with junk for him to heave overboard."
Ruff looked about in surprise. He nudged his thumb toward the treasure chests, then queried:
"Which of the stuff is fake?"
"None of it," chuckled Elger while Jalway smiled. "We are simply going to murder our unwelcome guests and put their bodies into weighted boxes. We shall require four such caskets."
"Why bump the girl?" queried Jalway. "If this is staged like a raid, she will think it's on the up and up. I've sort of had my eye on Francine, even though she's more partial to Seth Hadlow -"
"I understand," interrupted Elger. "If you managed to save her, she would be all for you. We can make a bargain, Jalway. If Francine listens to reason, she can live. If not, she will die like the others -"
"Agreed."
THAT settled, Elger remembered another item. He spoke to Ruff, telling him to arrange for three extra boxes to carry the bodies of Dalavan, Golga and Hoskins. That done, Elger gestured toward the farther cavern, indicating that both Ruff and Jalway should use that exit, while he went back through the regular passage to his house.
"Prepare to contact the Dalmatia, Ruff," ordered Elger. "I shall rely upon Tully and Chunk to work with Jalway and myself. Your course, Jalway, is to complete your stroll and circle back to the house. I shall be there, wondering about your safety. Remember: we must dupe Seth Hadlow. The old professor and the sailor will cut no figure."
Pocketing his big meerschaum, the arch-crook started for his own passage while Ruff and Jalway went in the opposite direction. Ruff carried the lantern that had provided illumination for the conference. En route to the house, Purvis Elger indulged in an insidious chuckle.