SIGNS OF TROUBLE.
Bob was decidedly disturbed by this desire of the men to be taken from the key. If the story they told was true, he had every reason to expect from the first that such would be their request; and yet, now that he began to discern their true character, it was with considerable surprise he learned that they wished to link their fortunes with his, at least to the extent of leaving the island.
"I don't want sich as them around," he muttered as he left the cabin and went forward to where Joe was sitting in the shade of the jib with his chin in his hands, trying to devise some simple plan for pulling the brig into deep water.
"There's no way it can be done except by setting the sheet anchor thirty or forty fathoms toward the mouth of the harbor and working down to it by sheer expenditure of muscle."
"Never mind that just now," Bob replied gloomily, "for there's another question to be settled. What do you s'pose that crowd in the cabin want?"
"I reckon they're counting on our taking them away," Joe replied laughingly. "Most any fellow who had been marooned on this key would like to leave."
"But I don't believe their yarn about bein' left behind, unless they were up to some mischief an' the captain didn't know what else to do with 'em."
"They ain't very pleasant-looking customers, for a fact; but yet they may be honest sailors."
"I don't take any stock in it, or they'd never carry sail as they do. The red-nosed fellow was heavin' plates at Harry when I went below, an' they tried to make me believe the boy had been givin' 'em impudence. Now they promise to do full work if we'll take them with us."
"And I reckon that's just about what you'll have to do, Bob. It would be cruel to leave them here; and, besides, we shall need the whole crowd before the Bonita can be floated. If I could repair the tug in any reasonable length of time, it would be another matter; but since that can't be done, on account of the damage to the steam-chest, there's a good deal of heavy work ahead."
"Then your advice is to tell 'em they can stay aboard," Bob said moodily.
"I don't see what else you can do, more especially since it might be awkward if they should conclude to remain whether we wanted them or not."
Bob was silent several moments, and then he said impatiently:
"I reckon you're right; but it goes mightily agin the grain to take sich cattle as them along. Howsomever, 'what can't be cured must be endured;' but I'll have my weather-eye liftin' all the time, so they'd better keep out of mischief. The sooner we get an anchor over the better, an' I'll call 'em, so's they can give us a sample of their work."
He was spared the labor of going below again, for just at that moment the three men came on deck, and at once made their way forward.
"I hope you ain't goin' to refuse us a chance to give you a lift," the red-nosed man said in a whining tone; and Bob replied, without so much as looking at his guests:
"Joe thinks we haven't got the right to say no; an', besides, we shall need a pretty big force to work the brig off the sand. S'posin' you take hold an' help us lay out an anchor astern?"
"All right! You boss the job an' we'll stand by for every pound of strength we've got."
Since there was no possibility of using the tug, it would be necessary to set about the task as Joe had said, and Bob explained to the apparently willing workers exactly how it was to be performed.
"We've got to lay out the sheet-anchor, backin' it if the holdin'-ground ain't good," he said, addressing his conversation to the strangers, but looking directly at Joe. "She plumped on here pretty strong, I'll allow; but it wasn't more'n half-tide when we struck, an' she oughter be worked off in two or three floods. One of you get the boat around, an' I reckon it won't take very long to make ready for the job."
The yawl was staunch enough to stand up under the weight of the stream-anchor, and while the Mexican was pulling her to the port bow, Bob rove a tackle on the yard-arm by which to raise the heavy mass of metal.
Seeing that some important work was in progress the three boys came to assist; but the old sailor quickly dispensed with their services.
"Stay aft, lads. There's force enough here for this job, an' by 'tendin' to the grub I reckon you'll be doin' your full share."
