pider Snaps_

Stooping, Stubbs ran his hand down the length of Wilson's arm and felt
for his pulse. He caught a weak but steady beat. Prying open his
mouth, he poured a large mouthful of water down the dry throat. Wilson
quickly revived and begged for more.

"No, m' son, this'll do fer now. You'll need it worse later on. An'
I'm darned glad to see yer again."

"How--how long have I been here, Stubbs?" panted Wilson.

"Nigh twenty-four hours."

"A day--a whole day wasted!"

"An' another cross agin yer fren' the Priest."

"Was it he?"

"Th' same."

He gave Wilson a little food and a wisp of the coca leaves to chew and
briefly told him what he had just been through. He concluded with a
wave of his hand about him.

"So here we are at last, an' a crew of savages waitin' fer us at the
top, which makes a fine and fittin' end fer any v'yage upon which I
embarks."

"Water--give me more water."

Stubbs rested the bottle to the man's lips a moment and then had to
fight with him to get it away.

"Now," said Stubbs, "if ye've gut th' breath, tell me, has ye explored
at all?"

Wilson shook his head. He answered vaguely, his thoughts still upon
the one thing.

"A day wasted and the Priest on his way! He said within a day, didn't
he, Stubbs? Lord! we've got to get out of here; we've got to get to
her. He'll kill them both----"

Wilson struggled to his feet and plunged towards the exit to the cave.
Stubbs was upon him in a second and bore him down.

"Gawd, man, h'ain't yer any sense left at all?"

A second later he repented his sharp speech, and added,

"There, lay still a moment, lad. I knows how yer feel, but we might's
well look aroun' an' find out how much bigger damned fools we are.
Ye've gotter git yer strength before ye can move back over that
course."

"The treasure is there," whispered Wilson; "but, Stubbs, I want more
water--buckets of it."

"What's there?"

"Diamonds--diamonds, and not a drop of water."

Stubbs did not believe it. He took it to be the hallucination of a man
weak with thirst. But one thing was settled in his mind: if the cave
were empty, he wouldn't waste any more time here. Danger was
increasing with every minute. He pawed his way into the rear of the
cave and had not gone ten feet before he stumbled over the same pile
Wilson had found. He seized a handful of the stones and made his way
back to the light.

The jewels sparkled in his rough palm like chips from the stars
th