"She would never point up for the gaps between the lesser islands in the south," I added.
My great-uncle chuckled with a keenness of relish that was new to him.
"You read the chart well for a landsman, boy," he said. "What say you, Peter? Here is a stout sailor in the making."
"Neen," answered Peter earnestly. "You stick to der landt, Bob."
And for the first time my great-uncle and I laughed together, so comical was the Dutchman's repudiation of the sea and its folk.
"You have clapped on to the nub of our problem," said Murray. "'Twas the piece of information I was at most pains to obtain. The Santissima Trinidad will head for the Mona Passage. I will show you why. The first aim of the Spaniards is to conceal her voyage; she sails a course which keeps her as much as possible in open seas. And the best exit for that purpose is the opening between Hispaniola and Porto Rico. There are no islands in the Caribbean on that course, and once through the passage she fetches south and east of the Bahamas and so beats up for the Cape Verdes.
"My intent is that the Royal James shall ply off the westerly mouth of the passage from about the end of August, avoiding all intercourse with shipping and keeping as far out to sea as is practicable. When Diego appears we will restrict the space of our beat, and 'twill be impossible for the treasure-ship to escape us. If she runs we can catch her, and at fighting I can take any don under a ship-o'-the-line."
"So much I heard you declare to Colonel O'Donnell aboard the brig," I said. "But what comes next? You take the Santissima Trinidad—and then?"
He moved his forefinger over the surface of the map and brought it to rest in front of a tiny outline sketched in ink on the expanse of sea east of Cuba and somewhat to the north of Hispaniola. Northward of this spot stretched the far-flung myriads of the Bahamas.
"That is what you have heard Flint and me refer to as the Rendezvous and Spygass Island," he answered. "It has other names, I believe. Some have called it Treasure Island, although I know of no treasure upon it. In truth, its one value is that it doth not appear upon any map, and its comfortable isolation and sheltered havens supply an excellent resort for such outlaws as ourselves. 'Tis said that Kidd discovered it, and certes, others of the old-time buccaneers were wont to maintain themselves there. Flint had the secret of it from a tarry-breeks who claimed to have sailed on the Adventure galley. We are bound thither now to refit and careen, and when we have the treasure safe under hatches we will return to the island to divide it and concert arrangements for delivering their share to Colonel O'Donnell's friends."