“I know she’s the one who found what silver’s been found,” he added. “But Samson? Makes no sense.”

As they’d hoped, the boys had ducked down beneath the hull of the boat. But they’d be listening. “She says it’s where she found the treasure map.” It wasn’t. She’d yet to say where she’d found what she did—an omission that hadn’t slipped by Mabena. “She probably has the rest of the crate in whatever cottage she’d been staying in.”

“Maybe. But do you really think we can convince her to send it to the Scofields?”

“We have to. If we don’t, she could be in danger.” They’d debated this tack, too, and decided it was the most likely to convince the boys. “We need to find it, get it to them. If she’s too stubborn to save her own skin, we’ll save it for her.” They’d probably not believe that Mabena meant to undermine her cousin for the sake of silver. But for her own good? Anyone would believe that.

And if they could convince them to go to Samson this morning instead of Piper’s Hole, that ought to keep them safely out of the way.

They continued their northward row and their fabricated discussion until they were unquestionably out of the boys’ hearing and the caves were within view. They turned into one of the smaller ones, stowing their boat out of sight behind a boulder and scrambling into the small opening. They’d watch a few minutes and make certain the lads didn’t still come by and go to Piper’s Hole. Inspiring them not to was better—but they’d resort to command if they must.

She turned with a grin to Casek, though he’d not be able to see it in the shadows. “I still can’t believe the headmaster has resorted to fibbing to his students.”

A beam of light blinded her from deeper within, accompanied by a click that echoed ominously off the rocks. “And I,” said a clipped London voice she’d hoped never to hear again, “can’t believe two such fine prizes wandered in here of their own volition.”

“Lorne?” Casek stepped between Mabena and the light, an arm reaching behind him to steady her. “That’s your name, isn’t it?”

“Ain’t you a clever one.”

She balled her hands into Casek’s shirt to keep from doing anything stupid. They could just slip back out. They’d have to be faster than him, but they knew the caves—that was in their favor. And a moving target would be harder for him to hit than a still one. “It was you on Sunday, then? But I thought it the Scofields’ man we were coming to meet.”