Sam Steele's Adventures on Land and Sea by L. Frank Baum

Meantime there had been much excitement and confusion in the camp when it was discovered that several of the men, including Nux and Bry, and even "the boy Sam," had disappeared during the night with most of the gold dust that had been accumulated.

I can relate fairly well what occurred, for I heard the story often enough afterward.

The Major was furious with rage, at first, and sent at once for Uncle Naboth, whom he accused of being at the bottom of the plot to rob him.

Mr. Perkins was so full of his own anxieties that he paid little attention to the red-bearded giant's ravings.

"I'm afraid Sam's in trouble," he said, nervously.

"In trouble! You bet he is," yelled the Major, "I'll skin him alive when I catch him."

"That's the point," answered Uncle Naboth. "How are we to find him again? I'll risk your hurting the boy, if we can only find out where they've taken him."

"Your niggers are gone, too," the Major reminded him.

"That's the only thing that gives me hope, sir," retorted my Uncle. "Those black men are as faithful and honest as any men on earth, and I'm thinking they're gone after Sam to try to rescue him."

"Then you think he's been kidnapped, do you?"

"Of course. The men that are missing are the worst of your lot-the ones that have caused you the most trouble in every way. There's not a man from the ‘Flipper's' crew among them. The way I figure it out is that Daggett, Larkin, Hayes and Judson have made a plot to steal all the gold, and escape with it. They robbed you first, and then they robbed Sam, and when the boy tried to make a fuss they just kidnapped him and took him along with them."

"How about the niggers? " asked the Major, sarcastically.

"That puzzles me, I'll admit," acknowledged my Uncle. "Bry and Nux may have seen the thieves get away with Sam, and followed after them, to try to rescue him. That's the only way I can figure it out just now. But we're losing time, Major. What's to be done?"

"Two things. Get back the gold, and shoot down the robbers like dogs. They can't get away, you know. They're somewhere on this Island, and I mean to find them."

"There's the ship."

"What of it?"

"If they get aboard and sail away we'll be in a bad box."

"How can they get aboard? We've got the small boats."

"They can make a raft, or even swim out to the ship," returned Uncle Naboth, shrewdly, "I tell you, Major, you're wasting time. Why don't you do something?"

The Major glanced at him as if undecided whether to be angry with him or not. But Mr. Perkins was undoubtedly right, and the miners were gathering outside the door with curses and threats against the men who had robbed them, for the news had quickly spread throughout the camp.