You thought you had our secret, but it will be a long while
before you ever make diamonds."
"What are you going to do with us?" asked Tom.
"Never mind. You came where you had no right to, and you must
take the consequences."
"We did have a right to come here!" exclaimed Mr. Jenks. "I am
entitled to know how the diamonds are made. I paid for the
information, and you tricked me. If ever it's possible I'll have
the whole gang arrested for swindling."
"You'll never get the chance!" declared Folwell. "You were
given some diamonds for the money you invested, and that makes us
square."
"No, it doesn't!" declared Mr. Jenks. "I invested the money to
learn how to make diamonds, and you know it! You tricked me, and
I had a right to try to discover your secret! I nearly have it,
too, and I'll get it completely before I'm done with you!"
"No, you won't!" boasted Folwell. "But we didn't come here to
tell you that. We came to give you something to eat. We're not
savages and we'll treat you as well as we can in spite of the
fact that you are trespassers. We're going to give you some grub,
but I warn you that any attempt to escape will mean that some of
you will get hurt."
He signalled to some of his confederates. These men unbound the
captives' arms, and stood over them while they ate some coarse
food that was brought into the small cave.
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