No sign
of the gem.
"I've been over every inch of it," said poor Tom. "It's not there. Some
one has been here and noticed the chalk, and taken it. Come home, Jack;
I feel sick and tired. Oh, had any man ever luck like mine!"
I turned to go, but took one last look at the cliff first. Tom was
already ten paces off.
"Hollo!" I cried, "don't you see any change in that circle since
yesterday?"
"What d' ye mean?" said Tom.
"Don't you miss a thing that was there before?"
"The rock-salt?" said Tom.
"No; but the little round knob that we used for a fulcrum. I suppose we
must have wrenched it off in using the lever. Let's have a look at what
it's made of."
Accordingly, at the foot of the cliff we searched about among the loose
stones.
"Here you are, Jack! We've done it at last! We're made men!"
I turned round, and there was Tom radiant with delight, and with the
little corner of black rock in his hand. At first sight it seemed to
be merely a chip from the cliff; but near the base there was projecting
from it an object which Tom was now exultingly pointing out.
Pages:
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33