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.