One could easily fancy how much the mutineers must have been punished
by seeing the schooner moving swiftly away from the land, knowing as
they did that the officers of the law would soon come in search of
them, and more than one on board the _Day Dream_ was satisfied with
this as atonement for all the discomforts suffered during the last
thirty hours.
It was impossible to say whether the fellow who had just been released
ever reached the shore, although all the chances were in his favor. The
last that could be seen of him through the glass was when the schooner
rounded the point of land which marked the eastern-most extremity of
the key, and then he was paddling for dear life.
It surely seemed as if the wind had come to stay for some time. It
continued to increase in weight until nightfall, when the yacht had
as much as she needed in such waters, and Mr. Jenkins confidently
announced to Gil and Nelse that they would be at Nassau before sunset
on the following day.
Time proved this prediction to be correct.
By six o’clock on the same day the yacht had been recaptured, all
evidences of her late unlawful crew were wiped out both fore and
aft, and when the boys retired the thought of their slight losses, as
compared to what might have been, went very far toward consoling them.
“Father will buy us such things as we may need when we get into port,”
Gil said, confidently, to his cousin, “and if he doesn’t think it
necessary to replace our watches, no great harm will be done, if we are
obliged to look at the cabin clock in order to learn when the meals
should be served.”
“I’m not worrying about the stuff those fellows took from us,” Nelse
replied; “but am only afraid uncle won’t allow us to hunt for the
treasure because of what has already happened.”
“That will be all right, as you will see, so let’s try not to think any
more of what has happened.”
At noon on the following day, the boys almost forgot the disagreeable
adventures with the mutineers when they landed at Nassau with Mr.
Jenkins, and made a tour of the sponge yards, while Captain Mansfield
went to inform the authorities of those whom he believed were
responsible for the loss of the _Mary and Jane_.
It was a particularly pleasant day which they spent ashore, viewing
the many wonders wrested from the bed of the ocean, and on returning
to the schooner neither thought to ask what had been done until
Captain Mansfield was speaking with the mate about the officers of the
ill-fated brig.
“There can be no question but that those fellows had a hand in the
wrecking of the _Mary and Jane_,” he said. “The captain and mates
landed here last week, and told me to-day there could be no doubt as
to the facts. On three different occasions it was found that the brig
was many points off her course, and I fancy the men knew exactly where
she would be foundered.”
“Will the authorities send to arrest them?” Gil asked.
“Certainly, and the officers of the brig intend to urge it; besides,
they propose to start at once for Walker Key in the hope that some of
the cargo may be there.”
“Were the men really deserted?”
“Not a bit of it, according to the captain’s story, and after what we
have experienced I would believe him against a thousand such as tried
to run away with the schooner. It seems that when the brig struck,
the men were ordered into the boats; but they refused to leave until
the spirits had been divided. The crowd we met insisted on using the
gig, and, holding her fast alongside, proceeded to get drunk. A heavy
sea was running, and after the officers had expostulated with the men
for some time, they believed there was nothing left but to look out
for their own lives. The vessel was fast breaking up, and the crew in
a drunken condition, when the captain’s party finally put off to try
to reach this port, which they did in four days. A schooner was sent
out from here; but nothing could be found either of the crew or of the
craft, and it was generally believed that she slid off into deep water
and sank.”
“Now what will happen?” Gil asked.
“I think it is safe to say the fellows will find themselves in a very
disagreeable position before many days have elapsed,” Captain Mansfield
replied, and then he was summoned on deck by the arrival of the goods
which he had purchased to replace those stolen by the mutineers.
From this time until they were ready to “turn in” the boys had plenty
to occupy their attention. The new weapons, additional stores, and such
other articles as the captain had bought, were inspected. The things
were stowed in their proper places, and then once more the question as
to whether the treasure could be found came up for discussion.
Not until a very late hour were the boys ready to retire, owing to
the many exciting topics of conversation, and both were awakened next
morning at sunrise by Mr. Jenkins, who said, cheerily:
“Turn out lively, lads, for there is a good deal to be seen from here
until we are well through the channel, and the yacht is already under
way.”
When they came on deck the _Day Dream_ was opposite the southernmost
point of Great Abaco Island, and the singular formation of rock known
as the “Hole in the Wall” was in full view.
The schooner was gliding slowly along under the influence of the gentle
morning breeze, and Gil and Nelse had a good opportunity of seeing the
odd sights, foremost among which was Spanish Wells, the name of the
town on St. George’s Key, at the extreme northwest point of the Island
of Eleuthera, where the houses are built on raised platforms, like many
in the Malay Archipelago.
The mate explained that this singular style of architecture was adopted
because of the hermit-crabs, which sometimes come ashore in vast
numbers, ravaging the land and entering every building not on stilts.
Then the cocoanut groves, two miles farther along the coast, were seen,
the flame-colored and scarlet blossoms serving to form a most gorgeous
picture.
A hasty breakfast, and the boys were on deck again to see the “Glass
Window,” a curious and perfect arch of limestone eighty-five feet
above the surface of the sea. Not many years ago, so Mr. Jenkins said,
a pleasure party were dining there, when suddenly a great tidal-wave
came rushing in from the ocean, dashed up under the arch, and swept the
greater number of the merry-makers away.
Such waves, coming without the slightest warning, are frequent here.
The natives call them “rages,” and believe they are caused by storms
some distance off on the Atlantic.
Still farther down the coast is New Gregory’s Harbor, where the
wonderful cave, extending more than eleven hundred feet under the
ground, is located; but, of course, this could not be seen from the
schooner.
There were, in fact, so many wonderful things to attract the curious
during this run down the chain of islands that the boys actually grew
tired of the variety, and in sheer weariness turned their attention to
what both seemed to think was the true purpose of the voyage.
“Will it be many days before we arrive at Hayti?” Gil asked the mate,
and the latter replied:
“If the wind favors we shall wind this portion of the cruise up in
short order. The captain intends to run down as far as Silver Key
Passage, and then we can head nearly due west.”
“Let’s go and tell Andy how near we are to the home of the voudoos,”
Nelse suggested, and the two went at once to the galley, where the
information was imparted without loss of time.
The old darky looked at them pityingly for some seconds, and then,
shaking his head mournfully, he said:
“You’se rushin’ on ter destruction, dat’s wha’ you’se doin’, an’ when
de time cums dat dere’s no help fur you, I’se sartin nobuddy won’t call
Andy Storts er fool.”
“What are you going to do when we land?” Gil asked, trying hard to
prevent himself from laughing.
“I’se done gone ’range up a plan ob my own.”
“And decided not to desert us?”
“Dere’s no kin’ ob use tryin’ ter run away frum de debbil, kase it
carn’t be did. Ef de captain’s boun’ fur ter git hisself in trubble,
an’ you boys won’t try ter dissuade him from it, I’se gwine ter take
keer ob myself. Don’ dat stan’ to reason?”
“You are right, Andy,” Nelse replied, laughingly; “but please tell us
what your plan is.”
“It carn’t be did, honey, kase de voudoos wud git hol’ ob it, an’ den
whar’d de ole man be? I’se bin studyin’ an’ studyin’ sence we got de
schooner back, an’ now I’se feelin’ toller’bly easy in my min’.”
“Then by not telling us the secret, you show yourself willing that we
shall come to grief.”
“Honey, dem as rushes ’roun’ whar dey don’ b’long mus’ take de
chances, an’ ole Andy couldn’t dissuade yer ter took his adwise.”
With this sage remark, spoken in the most sepulchral of tones, the cook
turned his attention once more to the savory dish he was preparing for
the cabin table, and it was all in vain that the boys tried to prolong
the conversation.
From this time until the schooner finally came to anchor off the
northern shore of the Tortuga de Mar, nothing of especial interest
occurred to vary the monotony of the voyage.
The wind favored them in the most satisfactory manner, and the little
craft glided among the many keys in perfect safety until on a certain
night about ten o’clock the longed-for spot was reached.
The boys had been on deck in a perfect fever of excitement during the
entire day; but, owing to the darkness, it was impossible to gain any
idea of the small body of land where they believed so much treasure
would be found by them.
“We must curb our impatience until morning, I suppose,” Gil said, with
a sigh; “but I would have liked a chance to compare the conformation of
the land with our chart.”
“Are you going to bed now?” Nelse asked.
“What would be the use? I couldn’t close my eyes in sleep yet awhile.”
“Then let’s slip into the galley, and see if Andy is putting his
wonderful plan into operation. I am eager to find out how he proposes
to assure his own safety while the debbil is getting hold of us.”
Gil was more than willing to act upon this suggestion, since it would
serve to help pass away the time until they wished to “turn in,” and
the two went below to the kitchen, where, to their great surprise, the
door was found securely locked.
They knocked again and again without receiving a reply, and as one of
the sailors passed, Gil asked:
“Do you know where Andy is?”
“In there, and he don’t mean to open the door for anybody. I reckon
he’s up to some of his funny business, ’cause he’s so afraid of what
may be found on the island.”
The boys tried again to make the old darky answer; but he steadily
refused, and they were finally forced to return to the deck.