Without saying a word he evidently asked
Lopez for something to drink, for he made a motion as if drinking from a
cup, Lopez without taking his eyes off the workers jerked his head in
the direction of the boat.
"Now what?" asked Frank in wonderment. "Is he thirsty?"
"I don't think so," replied Arnold. "I believe he's going after
something to stimulate the shovelers. They look as if they were getting
a little winded. See them slacken down."
Wyckoff returned shortly carrying a jug. This he passed down to the men
in the pit. Eagerly they reached for the jug, draining great draughts of
its contents as they paused briefly.
With renewed vigor the work was again taken up.
"If this keeps up," declared Arnold fretfully, "those fellows will have
all the coin in a minute and not leave any for us."
"Keep your temper," Jack cautioned. "Something may happen--"
The lad was interrupted by a blinding flash, followed by a roar as if
one of the old Spanish cannons had exploded beside them.
A shower of sand fell over the boys concealed behind the clump of
palmettos. Instinctively they all drew closer their fellows.
The ground shook beneath them while all around it seemed to be raining
sand. As they looked at the spot again they could make out but two
figures standing. Wyckoff and Lopez were on opposite sides of the pit.
The negroes were nowhere to be seen.
Wyckoff's face was cut and bleeding while Lopez seemed to have had his
clothing bodily torn from the upper part of his body.
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