Part 21 (1/2)
”Not exactly; we've been at the wrong end of a collision, an' put in here to patch up a little.”
”Have you been ash.o.r.e yet?”
”Do you suppose they know we found the paper?” Walter whispered in alarm as 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've seen more'n we wanted!” and by the tone of Bob's voice it could be easily understood that he was growing very angry.
”That's the crowd we're looking for!” the man on the schooner said excitedly. ”On what part of the key are they?”
”You'll find 'em somewhere between here an' the coast of the United States. We had the brig Bonita in tow when we came to anchor, an' by lockin' us below on the tug they stole her!”
The man conversed with those near him for a moment, and then resumed the conversation by asking:
”When did that happen?”
”About two hours before sunset yesterday afternoon. Do you know anything of the scoundrels?”
”Considerable that ain't to their credit. They s.h.i.+pped at Na.s.sau on a trading-vessel, and tried to get up a mutiny in order to seize the craft. The captain marooned them here, and we shouldn't have troubled our heads about such a lot if it had not been learned that they murdered two turtle-fishers in the North-west Channel three weeks ago simply for the small amount of money the men received from sale of the cargo. It looks now as if the villains had given us the slip.”
”I ain't so sure of that,” Bob replied after some thought. ”The brig is a decently heavy sailer, an' there hasn't been wind enough to take her very 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 learning the true character of those whom they would have befriended. That the men were scoundrels there had been good proof; but to learn they were murderers as well, shocked all hands.
”It's a good thing we didn't sail on the Bonita,” Walter said in a whisper. ”If they'd kill two fishermen for a little money, I'm sure there wouldn't have been much hesitation about butchering us before we arrived in port, so they could claim the brig.”
”All that appears unfortunate is not ill-luck,” Joe added; and then the captain of the schooner shouted:
”We'll give them a chase, anyhow. Tell us the full particulars concerning the brig, and if we don't succeed in catching the murderers it will be easy to send the information to every port they're likely to enter. By that means they'll be prevented from enjoying the stolen property very long. Come aboard, where we can talk without such a waste of wind!”
”Let's all hands go,” Bob suggested; and in a few moments the crew of the Sea Bird were on the schooner--Harry telling the story of how he, Walter and Jim were carried away by the Bonita; Bob relating the particulars of the Trade Wind's loss, and Joe giving an account of the collision.
”It's kind of a mixed up affair,” the captain said, rubbing his nose vigorously, as if to quicken memory, ”and I reckon it'll be safer to take down all the names, so's there'll be no mistake.”
”I'll write out the whole thing for you,” Harry proposed, and the captain appeared to be relieved by the proposition.
”I ain't got much of a fist for writin',” he replied half-apologetically, ”an' it'll save me a deal of time.” Then, as Harry began what of necessity would be quite a lengthy narrative, he asked Bob: ”Is there anything we can do for you? Have you stores enough for a decently long voyage?”
”I reckon we have everything needful except coal, an' we'll have to run into Na.s.sau 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 so far as to draw on a piece of brown paper a rude chart of the North-east Providence Channel, and the self imposed task was hardly completed when Harry brought his written story to an end.
CHAPTER XX.
TREASURE-SEEKERS.