BOLD THIEVES.
The old sailor remained on duty until the day began to break. The loss of the yawl troubled him more than he cared to say, and this, together with the possibility that she might have been taken during his watch, drove all desire for sleep from his eyes.
When the yellow shafts of light shot up from the eastern sky to herald the approach of dawn he awakened his companions, and while the boys went into the galley to commence the labors of the day, he and Joe stood on the forward-bitt, eagerly scanning the surrounding shore for some signs of the boat.
In this they were not to be disappointed, for as the shadows retreated the yawl stood revealed on the beach at the point where the Sea Bird's crew emerged from the thicket when staggering under the weight of the pirates' gold, and standing near, as if examining their stolen prize, were the three men.
"There's one good thing about it," Bob said grimly. "By losin' our boat we shall get rid of Mr. Red-nose and his friends, an' I ain't sure but we'll be sellin' 'em reasonably cheap."
Joe was so enraged by the sight that he could make no reply, and the old sailor continued half to himself:
"It won't be sich a terrible job, after they've gone, to build a raft that'll carry us ashore, an' p'rhaps the outcome of it'll be our savin' the steamer."
The watchers had not long to wait before it became apparent that the party on shore did not intend to delay their departure.
All three busied themselves with bringing bundles and boxes from the thicket after the survey of the boat was ended, and in less than half an hour the little craft had a full load.
A light breeze came from the west, and after stepping on board it was only necessary to row the yawl a short distance from the shore when the sail filled, causing her to glide slowly toward the open sea.
Bob and Joe watched these maneuvers in silence without heeding Jim's announcement that breakfast was ready, and much to the astonishment of both, the sail was brailed up when the boat reached a point nearly opposite the steamer.
"I'll be blowed if they haven't got the nerve to speak us!" the old sailor exclaimed; and almost at the same moment the red-nosed man shouted, as he raised his hat in mock politeness:
"We're sorry to leave you here aground, and without a tender; but you didn't feel like makin' any friendly talk to us yesterday mornin', so we had to help ourselves. I had an idee we'd get the best end of the trade if it come to bein' disagreeable!"
"Don't worry about us!" Bob shouted angrily. "We're glad to get rid of you at any price; but my advice is that you give Nassau a pretty wide berth!"
"We should be ungrateful if we did not heed the counsel of those who have rigged the boat for us in such a satisfactory manner!" the Mexican replied with a laugh; and then the sheet was hauled aft once more and the little craft laid on such a course as would bring her close past the southerly point of the harbor.
Bob and Joe remained silent and motionless until the thieves were shut out from view by the land, and then the former said, with an attempt to speak cheerfully:
"That ends 'em, so far as we are concerned, an' its best not to think of the scoundrels ag'in. We've either got to take up our quarters on the island or rig some plan for floatin' the steamer, an' I reckon that'll occupy pretty much all our time. Let's get breakfast, an' then decide what's to be done."
There was no necessity for spending many moments on deliberations when the morning meal had been eaten, for whatever might be done, the first step was to establish communication with the shore, and this Joe proposed to do when he came on deck again.
The thieving crew were nowhere in sight, as would have been the case had they sailed in almost any other than a southerly direction, and it seemed probable that the yawl had been headed toward Nassau despite the danger the men would incur of being arrested.
"I only hope they'll fool around in the vicinity until that schooner comes back and captures every one!" Joe said in anything rather than a friendly tone, after taking a deliberate survey of such portion of the ocean as could be seen from the tug; and then he added abruptly, as if determined to put all unpleasant thoughts far from his mind, "Now, what about getting on shore, Bob?"
