CHAPTER XIX.
AN UNEXPECTED VISIT.
It was fully ten minutes after the excited boys arrived at the Sea Birdbefore Bob and Joe could understand the meaning of the document whichHarry waved so triumphantly above his head, or learn where and how ithad been found. Each one insisted on telling the story at the same time,and the result was that nothing could be distinctly heard until Bobshouted:
"Hold up, lads! Give yourselves time to elect a president who can do thetalkin', an' then p'rhaps me an' Joe'll find out whether you've seen theBonita or discovered a bridge that leads to New York!"
"Let Harry tell the story while Walt an' me bail the yawl. Her seamshaven't swelled enough yet to prevent her from takin' in water;" and Jimwent forward resolving not to say another word until the matter wasfully explained; but before Harry had well begun the recital both he andWalter were assisting in the conversation.
Bob and Joe did finally succeed in learning all the particularsregarding the finding of the manuscript, and then their excitementequaled that of the boys.
"There ain't any question but what the lads have lighted on the secretof a pirate's treasure," the old sailor said in a positive tone, andlooking around at his companions as if challenging either of them tocontradict him. "Years ago these keys used to be a great place for 'emto sneak in an' out of, an' it stands to reason this would 'a' been jes'the kind of a harbor they'd try to make, 'cause there's water enoughhere to float a good-sized craft."
"But it's a big question as to whether we can find it;" and Joe examinedthe document carefully once more. "It has been a good while since thiswas written, and perhaps both the tree and the coral rock havedisappeared."
"It won't take very long to learn that, matey," Bob replied in a tone socheery that it would have been difficult to believe he had felt so angryand despondent a few hours previous. "There's a good compass in thepilot-house, an' with it an' your tape-measure we'll be able to lay outthe course to a hair."
"Do you mean to knock off work for the sake of going treasure-hunting?"Joe asked in mild surprise.
"Why not? Two or three days won't make much difference to us when therepairs are a question of weeks, an' there's no great danger of aneasterly gale at this time of year."
It did not require any lengthy or able argument to convince Joe that hewould be warranted in ceasing his work as machinist to become atreasure-seeker, for he was fully as eager as Bob to test the truth ofthe apparent statement contained in the document.
Half an hour after the boys came on board all hands were ready for areturn to the key. The compass had been placed in the stern-sheets ofthe yawl; Joe carried the measuring-tape in his pocket, and all was inreadiness for the start, when the old sailor suggested that one of theSea Bird's anchors be dropped.
"I ain't afraid of her slippin' the Bonita's hawser," he said; "butit'll be a good idea to prevent her from swinging round into shoalwater."
Anything, no matter how much labor it might involve, which would guardagainst a loss or further disablement of their second and only remainingcraft should be attended to, and all hands assisted in the work. Thetug's smallest anchor was let go with the cable made fast to the sternbitt, and unless a violent storm should arise she would lay to hermoorings as safely as if in a dry-dock.
Bob looked once more to the stopper on the bow hawser, as if the idea ofleaving the little steamer even for so short a time made him uneasyregarding her safety; and then, when, about to step over the rail intothe yawl, he involuntarily glanced seaward.
"Well, if that don't take all the wind outer my sails!" he exclaimed,pointing with one hand toward the open ocean as he shaded his eyes withthe other. "An hour ago I'd 'a' been glad to see sich a sight as that;but with the paper the boys found I've kinder lost all hankerin' for achance to leave this key."
The remainder of the party were already on board the yawl, and it wassome seconds before the full meaning of his words could be understood.It was Harry who first caught a glimpse of that which attracted the oldsailor's attention, and he cried, as he clambered over the steamer'srail:
"It's a vessel! Father has sent some one to look for us, and now we cango home!"
"I reckon you're wrong there, lad," Bob said as his companions gatheredaround him, all gazing intently at a small schooner which was creepingslowly toward the key from the southeast, evidently heading directly forthe cove. "That craft hasn't got American sailors on board byconsiderable. She looks like a fisherman--most likely comin' here forturtles. Whatever she is, we must put off goin' ashore for a spell."
Joe quickly brought the compass from the yawl, that no evidences oftheir intended visit ashore should be seen, and said, as he took up histools once more:
"We'd better keep right on about our work, for in case they are cominghere it may look suspicious to see us loafing when the steamer is sonearly a wreck."
But for the document found by the boys Joe would not have had such athought. Now, however, the possibility that there might be a largeamount of treasure secreted on the key made him over-cautious anddistrustful.
Bob returned to the cabin, for the "curse of wealth" had also begun tomake itself felt on him, and the three boys watched the approach of thestranger, but far less eagerly than would have been the case a few hoursprevious.
Slowly the schooner drew nearer, still heading directly for the cove,and shortening sail only when she was inside the outer point of land.
"Come on deck, Bob," Joe said in a low tone. "She's got just about wayenough on to fetch us, and there's no question but that she's coming toanchor close alongside."
Bob emerged from the companion-way as the schooner swung around to hercable, and a man who was standing near the wheel shouted:
"Steamer ahoy!"
"Halloo!" Bob replied.
"What's the matter? Are you in distress?"
"Not exactly; we've been at the wrong end of a collision, an' put inhere to patch up a little."
"Have you been ashore yet?"
"Do you suppose they know we found the paper?" Walter whispered in alarmas Bob hesitated before saying:
"Three of the crew landed this morning to look for water."
"Did you see any men there?"
"If you mean a Mexican, a thin feller, an' one with a red nose, we'veseen more'n we wanted!" and by the tone of Bob's voice it could beeasily understood that he was growing very angry.
"That's the crowd we're looking for!" the man on the schooner saidexcitedly. "On what part of the key are they?"
"You'll find 'em somewhere between here an' the coast of the UnitedStates. We had the brig Bonita in tow when we came to anchor, an' bylockin' us below on the tug they stole her!"
The man conversed with those near him for a moment, and then resumed theconversation by asking:
"When did that happen?"
"About two hours before sunset yesterday afternoon. Do you know anythingof the scoundrels?"
"Considerable that ain't to their credit. They shipped at Nassau on atrading-vessel, and tried to get up a mutiny in order to seize thecraft. The captain marooned them here, and we shouldn't have troubledour heads about such a lot if it had not been learned that they murderedtwo turtle-fishers in the North-west Channel three weeks ago simply forthe small amount of money the men received from sale of the cargo. Itlooks now as if the villains had given us the slip."
"I ain't so sure of that," Bob replied after some thought. "The brig isa decently heavy sailer, an' there hasn't been wind enough to take hervery far away. The chances are they're loafin' 'round the Bank now."
As may be supposed, the crew of the Sea Bird were astonished at learningthe true character of those whom they would have befriended. That themen were scoundrels there had been good proof; but to learn they weremurderers as well, shocked all hands.
"It's a good thing we didn't sail on the Bonita," Walter said in awhisper. "If they'd kill two fishermen for a little money, I'm surethere wouldn't have been much hesitation about butchering us before wearrived in
port, so they could claim the brig."
"All that appears unfortunate is not ill-luck," Joe added; and then thecaptain of the schooner shouted:
"We'll give them a chase, anyhow. Tell us the full particularsconcerning the brig, and if we don't succeed in catching the murderersit will be easy to send the information to every port they're likely toenter. By that means they'll be prevented from enjoying the stolenproperty very long. Come aboard, where we can talk without such a wasteof wind!"
"Let's all hands go," Bob suggested; and in a few moments the crew ofthe Sea Bird were on the schooner--Harry telling the story of how he,Walter and Jim were carried away by the Bonita; Bob relating theparticulars of the Trade Wind's loss, and Joe giving an account of thecollision.
"It's kind of a mixed up affair," the captain said, rubbing his nosevigorously, as if to quicken memory, "and I reckon it'll be safer totake down all the names, so's there'll be no mistake."
"I'll write out the whole thing for you," Harry proposed, and thecaptain appeared to be relieved by the proposition.
"I ain't got much of a fist for writin'," he repliedhalf-apologetically, "an' it'll save me a deal of time." Then, as Harrybegan what of necessity would be quite a lengthy narrative, he askedBob: "Is there anything we can do for you? Have you stores enough for adecently long voyage?"
"I reckon we have everything needful except coal, an' we'll have to runinto Nassau for that. If you'll give me the course it'll be a big help,seein's how I ain't very much of a navigator."
This the captain was not only willing but pleased to do. He even went sofar as to draw on a piece of brown paper a rude chart of the North-eastProvidence Channel, and the self imposed task was hardly completed whenHarry brought his written story to an end.