"I know!"
There was a lengthy silence. People looked at one another, and
their eyes said, _This has been too much for her_!
"I _know_," I impatiently repeated. "I can take you straight
there. I found the tombstone before Mr. Tubbs did, and the cave
too. Come, let's not waste time. We must hurry--they'll be
getting back!"
Amazement, still more than half incredulous, surged round me. Then
Mr. Shaw said rapidly:
"You're right. Of course, if you have found the cave, the best
thing we can do is to keep them shut up in it. But we must move
fast--perhaps we're too late already. If they have found the chest
they may by now be starting for camp with the first load of
doubloons."
Again I shook my head.
"They haven't found the gold," I assured him.
The astonished faces grew more anxious. "It sho' have told on
li'le Miss Jinny's brain," muttered Cookie to himself.
"They haven't found the gold," I reiterated with emphasis, "because
the gold is not in the cave. Don't ask me how I know, because
there isn't time to tell you. There was no gold there but the two
bags that the pirates brought back last night. The--the skeleton
moved it all out."
"My Lawd!" groaned Cookie, staggering backward.
"Virginia! I had no idea you were superstitious!" quavered Aunt
Jane.
"I say, do take some sleeping tablets or something and quiet your
nerves!" implored Cuthbert with the tenderest solicitude.
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