CHAPTER XXV.
A SERIOUS LOSS.
Joe stood guard in turn while Bob ate his breakfast, the boys settingthings to rights in the cabin and galley, and when the old sailor cameon deck again the question of what should be done was discussed.
"There ain't much chance we can do anything toward floating the steameruntil after the machinery has been repaired," the engineer said, by wayof beginning the conversation; "and before that can be done she willhave settled so deep in the sand that the screw won't have any effect."
"That's jes' about the way I figger it out," Bob replied, as a troubledlook came over his face. "The cable will stop her from workin' ahead;but she'll keep on settlin' jes' the same."
"And if we can't float her there's but one other course to pursue, whichis to take to the yawl and run our risk of reaching Nassau."
"There ain't much risk about it. She'll carry all hands an' the goldwithout crowdin'; an' as for danger, why, bless you, we can make harboramong these keys almost any hour in the day. It's abandonin' a soundcraft like this that makes me sore," and Bob gave vent to a deep sighof sorrow or disappointment.
"But if it must be done, the sooner we start the better."
"You're right, Joe, an' it ain't any use to whine about what can't behelped. If that rascally crew weren't ashore we might make one try tofloat her; but as they are there, an' can't get away very soon, we'dbetter go to work. If you'll find somethin' that'll answer for a mast,I'll cut the steamer's foresail into a leg-o'-mutton sail for the boat,an' by to-morrow we can make a start."
When the boys came on deck, they were surprised at seeing the two menengaged in rigging the yawl instead of trying to float the Sea Bird; andafter the proposed plan had been explained, Jim was thoroughlydissatisfied, although he took good care not to betray such fact to Joeor Bob.
"It's just foolishness to abandon this steamer!" he said to the boyswhen the three were comparatively alone forward. "We've lost the brigthat would have brought in a big lot of money through the salvage, an'now we're goin' to leave the Sea Bird for them murderers!"
"With the gold-pieces we've got in the hold I don't think there's anyreason to feel very badly about what might have been made out of theBonita," Harry said laughingly. "It's a fact that we can't do very muchwhile that crowd on the key stand ready to take every possibleadvantage, and neither Walter nor I are sorry to go away in themorning, no matter how much must be left behind."
"Don't you care whether the steamer goes to pieces or not?" Jim askedalmost angrily.
"Of course we'd like to save her if it could be done quickly; but we hadrather get home than have a dozen tugs just like her, and the sooner theyawl is under way the sooner our parents will know where we are."
"But they must have found out all about it long before this," Jim saidcalmly.
"How could that be?"
"The captain of the schooner promised to report us, an' your fathershave read the whole story in the papers by this time."
"But we can't get home any too soon," Walter said decidedly; and theconversation was brought to an abrupt conclusion as Jim went sulkilyinto the galley, where, a few minutes later, a terrible clattering ofpots and pans told of his displeasure.
There was no slight amount of work to be done before the little partycould be ready to abandon the Sea Bird. The journey to Nassau might be along one because of baffling winds, and plenty of food must be cooked.There were no kegs or small casks aboard, consequently it would benecessary to fill all the bottles and cans with water; and, in addition,Bob and Joe would be occupied a greater portion of the day in riggingthe yawl.
The uproar in the galley reminded the old sailor that very much shouldbe done in that quarter, and the only benefit Master Jim derived fromhis outburst of ill-temper was such as might be extracted from an orderto cook all the grub he could between then and sunset.
During the day nothing was seen of the party on the key. Toward theclose of the afternoon a thin thread of smoke, which apparently arosefrom the western shore, told they were still there, and also that theintimation of a scarcity of food was false.
"They've most likely got more provisions, than we have," Bob said as Joecalled his attention to the smoke. "It's safe to say that the boat wasloaded with cabin-stores, an' I'll bet a farthing's worth of silverspoons they haven't lost so much as a biscuit."
"Although we have no reason to sympathize with them in any way, I'm gladto know they're not hungry," Joe replied gravely.
Until half an hour before sunset all hands worked industriously, andthen the task had been accomplished, with the exception of putting thetreasure and stores on board. The yawl was rigged with as much canvas ascould safely be carried in a fair sailing breeze, and was made fastalongside ready to receive her cargo when another day should dawn.
"It won't take half an hour to load," Bob said in a tone of satisfactionas he scrutinized the result of his labor, "an' we'll buckle down tostowin' away part of what Jim has cooked to-day. You take the firstwatch on deck, Joe, for I don't calculate it'll be safe to trust theboys after dark, an' I'll spell you when I'm through supper."
Bob had decided that a vigilant watch must be kept during the night,although he did not believe the enemy would make any demonstrations, andan hour after supper all hands save the engineer "turned in" onmattresses spread under the awning.
At ten o'clock Joe called the old sailor to his trick on deck, and he inturn was aroused at midnight, for the watches were only of two hours'duration.
When Joe came on duty the second time all animate objects appeared to bein a state of the most complete repose. Not a sound could be heard savethe musical ripple of waters on the beach or the faint murmur of thenight-wind as it sung gently among the foliage.
Owing to the wakefulness and excitement of the previous night, togetherwith the exertions of the day just passed, Joe's eyes were heavy withsleep, and in order to shake off the drowsiness which pressed upon himhe paced softly to and fro on the port side of the deck.
It was unfortunate for the Sea Bird's crew that he chose that particularplace for a promenade. Had he walked on the starboard side of the houseit would have been possible to see by the faint sheen of the waters asmall, round object that apparently floated out from the shore directlytoward where the yawl was moored.
Perhaps it might have aroused his curiosity, if not his suspicion, andthat would have been sufficient to prevent a serious loss.
As it was, however, he continued the promenade, bent only on keeping hiseyes open, and the black sphere came nearer and nearer until one couldhave distinguished the countenance of the Mexican who had assisted instealing the Bonita.
Slowly but steadily the head advanced, causing hardly a ripple on thewater, until it was hidden in the deep shadow cast by the steamer'shull. Then a hand, in which was held an open knife, appeared above thesurface as its fellow grasped the yawl's painter.
One quick, noiseless stroke and the rope was severed, after which thehead and hands disappeared.
Joe continued to pace the deck ignorant of what was taking place so nearhim, and inch by inch the yawl drifted toward the shore until fullythree-quarters of the distance from the steamer to the key had beentraversed, when the form of a man rose out of the water, which at thatparticular point was not more than three feet deep, and drew her boldlyin on the beach.
At two o'clock the engineer awakened Bob to stand what was now a uselesswatch, and half an hour later all hands were startled into wakefulnessby his loud cry:
"The yawl has gone adrift!"
As they sprung to their feet in alarm he drew in the bit of rope thathung loosely from the rail, and after one glance at the severed end saidangrily:
"We're nice sailors, we are! Thought the boys couldn't stand watch, an'took the job ourselves only to have them villains steal the boat fromunder our noses! This rope has been cut, so there's no chance she wentadrift by accident!"
Joe insisted that he did not close his eyes while on duty, and Bob wasequally certain
that he kept vigilant watch; therefore there was nopossibility of ascertaining when the theft had been committed.
"The yawl is gone!" the old sailor said grimly after a long pause, "an'that's all we need to know just now. How she went don't make very muchdifference; but I'd like to have that red-nosed man within reach of myfist about three minutes!"
This last misfortune seemed a most severe one in the boys' eyes, and forfully a quarter of an hour Jim was nearly speechless from excess ofindignation and apprehension.
"It seems like we was never going to get clear of this island," he saidin a whisper when Bob and Joe went forward thinking it might be possibleto see the stolen boat. "I believe the pirates' gold has something to dowith our bad luck, an' I wish we'd never found that letter."
"I don't see why you should feel out of sorts," Harry said in asorrowful tone. "You were angry because we proposed to abandon thesteamer, and now that it's impossible to get away you ought to becontented."
"Stayin' here without a boat to go ashore in is a different thing frombein' able to sail anywhere around the key," Jim replied, and then herelapsed into silence once more.
The conversation between Bob and Joe was no more satisfactory than thatcarried on by the boys. As a matter of course they had not been able tosee the boat, which was now completely hidden in the shadow of thetrees, and after straining their eyes in vain for some time the oldsailor said, impatiently:
"What's the use of standin' here like fools when we know she's hauled upsomewhere along the beach? We'll turn in, an' after sunrise try to thinkout another plan which will come to the same end this has!"
"I have a mind to swim ashore and settle matters now with thosevillains!" Joe said angrily.
"You would be the one to get settled, I reckon;" and Bob had so nearlyrecovered his composure as to laugh at the engineer's expense. "Both ofus together wouldn't stand any show, more especially in the night, whenthey'd have all the advantage. Turn in with the boys, an' I'll standwatch till I'm sleepy."