TREASURE ISLE AT LAST
"So this is the work of that new deck hand, eh?" cried Captain
Barforth, grimly. "A fine piece of business to be in, I must say!"
"Let us see what is on the other side?" suggested Dick.
This was done, and they brought up another wire, to the end of which
were attached two small anchors and some pieces of scrap steel from
the tool room.
"He put those overboard for drag anchors," explained the master of the
steam yacht. "He did it to delay the _Rainbow_."
"Yes, and that was done so the _Josephine_ could get ahead of us," added
Dick.
"In that case he must be in league with Sid Merrick," came from Sam.
"Perhaps he met Merrick at Nassau and was hired for this work," said
Dick.
"That is possible, Dick. I'll have the truth out of him, if I have to
put him in irons and on bread and water to do it," added Captain
Barforth.
He at once sent for Walt Wingate. The deck hand who went after the man
came back five minutes later to report that the fellow could not be
located.
"He must be found!" cried Captain Barforth. "He can't skulk out of
this!"
A search was instituted, in which all of the boys, Mr. Rover and Aleck
joined. But though the steam yacht was searched from stem to stern,
the missing deck hand was not located. Some of the men even went down
into the hold, but with no success.
"Do you think he jumped overboard?" asked Fred.
"He might, but it would be a foolish thing to do," answered the
captain. "We are at least ten miles from any island."
"He may have had a small boat," said Songbird.
"No, the small boats are all here. He is on this vessel, but where is
the question."
To stimulate them in their search, the captain offered a reward of ten
dollars to any one of his crew who should bring Wingate to light. But
this brought no success, and for a very good reason as we shall learn
later.
How much the drags had hampered the progress of the _Rainbow_ there was
no telling, but freed of them, the steam yacht made good time. All of
the machinery was carefully inspected, including the propeller, to
which some wire was found twisted. But this had thus far done no
damage and was easily pulled out.
"He is certainly in league with Merrick and his crowd," said Anderson
Rover, "and that being so, we must be on constant guard against him."
The ladies and the girls were much alarmed to think that such a
character as Wingate might be roaming around the vessel in secret, and
at night they locked every stateroom door with care. The boys and Mr.
Rover were also on the alert, and some of them slept with loaded
pistols near at hand. Had Wingate shown himself unexpectedly he might
have met with a warm reception.
"That feller's disappearance puts me in mind o' something that
happened aboard the _Nancy Belden_, bound from the Congo to New York,
jest eight years ago this summer," said Bahama Bill, who had searched
as hard as anybody for the missing man. "We had on board a lot o' wild
animals fer a circus man, an' amongst 'em, was an orang outang, big
an' fierce, I can tell you. Well, this orang outang got out o' his
cage one night, an' in the mornin' he couldn't be found. We hunted an'
hunted, an' the next night nobody wanted to go to sleep fer fear he'd
wake up dead. The cap'n had his family aboard and the wife she was
'most scart stiff an' wouldn't hardly leave her room."
"And did you find the orang outang?" asked Songbird, with interest.
"We did an' we didn't. The fifth night after he was missing we heard a
fearful noise right in a cage wot had a lion in it. We run to the
place with shootin' irons an' spears and capstan bars, thinkin' the
lion was loose. When we got there we found the orang outang had
twisted one o' the bars o' the cage loose an' got inside and disturbed
Mr. Lion's best nap. Mr. Lion didn't like it, an' he gets up, and in
about two minutes he makes mince meat o' the orang outang. When we got
there all we see was bits o' skin, an' the feet an' head o' the orang
outang, yes, sir. We was glad he was gone--especially the cap'n wife
--but the circus men was mad to lose sech a valerable beast,"
concluded Bahama Bill.
"That was a pretty good one," was Tom's comment. "Too good to be
spoiled," and at this remark the others laughed.
"Vell, it's someding like ven dot snake got loose py Putnam Hall," was
Hans' comment. "Dot Vingate vos noddings put a snake, hey?"
"You hit it that time, Hans," answered Dirk, "A snake and of the worst
kind."
According to Bahama Bill's reckoning they were now less than two days'
sailing from Treasure Isle, and all on board who were in the secret
were filled with expectancy. So far nothing had been seen of the
_Josephine_, and they Wondered if the tramp steamer was ahead of them,
or if they had passed her in the darkness.
"Of course, she may have come by a different route," said Captain
Barforth. "While we passed to the east and south of some of the little
islands she may have gone to the north and west of them. One route
would be about as good as the other."
That night it grew foggy, and as a consequence they had to slow down,
which filled the boys with vexation for, as Tom declared, "they wanted
to find that island and the treasure right away."
"Well, you'll have to be patient," said Nellie,
"Aren't you anxious, Nellie?" he asked.
"Oh, yes, Tom; but I don't want to see anybody hurt, or the yacht
sunk."
Twenty four hours later the fog rolled away and on the following
morning Captain Barforth announced they were in the locality where
Treasure Isle was supposed to be located. The boys stationed
themselves in various parts of the steam yacht, and Dick and Tom went
aloft with a good pair of marine glasses.
"I see an island!" cried Tom, half an hour later.
This announcement thrilled all on board, but an hour later it was
discovered that the island was only a small affair and Bahama Bill
promptly said it was not that for which they were seeking.
"Come aloft and look through the glass," said Dick to the old tar, and
Bahama Bill readily accepted the invitation. Thus two hours more went
by, and the course of the steam yacht was changed to a wide circle.
"More land!" cried Dick, presently. "What do you make of that?" he
asked and handed the marine glasses to Bahama Bill.
The old tar looked through the glasses for a long time and then put
them down with much satisfaction.
"That's the place, or I'll forfeit a month's wages," he said.
"Is it Treasure Isle?" burst out Tom.
"Yes."
"Hurrah!" shouted Tom, running down the ratlines to the deck. "We've
found the island!" he shouted. "Hurrah!"
"Where?" asked half a dozen at once.
"Over in that direction. You can't see it with the naked eye, but it's
there just the same. Hurrah!" And in his high spirits Tom did a few
steps of a fancy jig.
Without delay the bow of the steam yacht was pointed in the direction
of the land that had been discovered, and after awhile all made it
out, a mere speck on the blue water. But as they approached, the speck
grew larger and larger, and they saw it was a beautiful tropical isle,
with waving palms reaching down almost to the water's edge.
"We can't land on this side," announced Bahama Bill. "The sea is too
dangerous here, We'll have to sail around to the south shore and lay
to beyond the reef, and then take small boats to the inside of the
horseshoe."
Again the course of the _Rainbow_ was changed, and they skirted the
eastern shore of the island, which was truly shaped like a horseshoe,
with the opening on the south side. To the north, the east and the
west were smaller islands and reefs, sticking out, "like horseshoe
nails," as Sam said. Sailing was dangerous here, and they had to go
slow and make frequent soundings, so that they did not reach the south
side of Treasure Isle until almost nightfall.
"The same old place!" murmured Bahama Bill.
"An' we anchored right out here when we took that treasure ashore! I
remember it as well if it was yesterday!" And he nodded over and over
again.
"And where is the cave from here?" asked Mr. Rover, who was as anxious
as anybody to locate the treasure.
"You can't see it, because it's behind the trees an' rocks," replied
the tar.
The reef beyond the horseshoe was a dangerous one, with the sea
dashing up many feet over it. There was only one break, less than
thirty feet wide, so gaining entrance to the harbor would be no easy
matter in a rowboat. "We had better wait until morning before we go
ashore," said Captain Barforth. "Even if we land we'll be able to do
little in the darkness."
"Oh, don't wait!" pleaded Tom.
"Why can't some of us go ashore?" put in Sam, who was as impatient as
his brother.
"I'd like to go myself," added Dick, "even if I had to stay ashore all
night. Remember, the _Josephine_ is on the way here, and the sooner some
of us get to land and locate that cave the better."
"The _Josephine_ isn't here yet," said Fred.
"No, but she may put in an appear at any time," answered Tom. "I
believe in taking time by the forelock, as the saying is."
The matter was talked over for a few minutes, and then it was decided
to let Tom, Dick, and Sam go ashore in company with two sailors, who
would then bring the rowboat back to the steam yacht. The boys were to
take blankets and some provisions with them and spend the night on the
island.
"I don't think you'll find the cave without Bahama Bill's aid," said
Mr. Rover. "But it will do no harm to look around. If this isle is
like the rest of the West Indies there will be little on it to hurt
you. There are few wild animals down here, and no savages outside of
some negroes who occasionally go on a spree and cut loose.."
The rowboat was soon ready, and the boys embarked, with the best
wishes of those left behind. Hans wanted to go very much, but was told
he must wait until morning. Bahama Bill said he would rather sleep on
shipboard any time than on shore.
"A bunk for me," were his words. "It's better than under the trees or
bushes. Once I was ashore sleepin' an' a big snake crawled over my
legs. I thought some cannibals were trying to tie me fast and jumped
up. When I see the snake I run about three miles without stopping. A
bunk fer me every time, yes, sir!"
It was exciting to bring the rowboat through the passage of the reef
and once the boys thought they were going to ship a good deal of
water. But the two men who were rowing knew their business and brought
them into the horseshoe harbor without mishap. They helped the lads to
land, on a small sandy strip close to some palms, and then started
back to the steam yacht.
"Treasure Isle at last!" cried Dick, when they were left alone. "So
far our quest has been successful. Now to locate the cave and unearth
that treasure!"
"And may it prove to be worth all that has been said of it," added Sam