"Over in that direction. You can't see it with the naked eye, but it's there just the same. Hurrah!" And in his high spirits Tom did a few steps of a fancy jig.
Without delay the bow of the steam yacht was pointed in the direction of the land that had been discovered, and after awhile all made it out, a mere speck on the blue water. But as they approached, the speck grew larger and larger, and they saw it was a beautiful tropical isle, with waving palms reaching down almost to the water's edge.
"We can't land on this side," announced Bahama Bill. "The sea is too dangerous here, We'll have to sail around to the south shore and lay to beyond the reef, and then take small boats to the inside of the horseshoe."
Again the course of the Rainbow was changed, and they skirted the eastern shore of the island, which was truly shaped like a horseshoe, with the opening on the south side. To the north, the east and the west were smaller islands and reefs, sticking out, "like horseshoe nails," as Sam said. Sailing was dangerous here, and they had to go slow and make frequent soundings, so that they did not reach the south side of Treasure Isle until almost nightfall.
"The same old place!" murmured Bahama Bill.
"An' we anchored right out here when we took that treasure ashore! I remember it as well if it was yesterday!" And he nodded over and over again.
"And where is the cave from here?" asked Mr. Rover, who was as anxious as anybody to locate the treasure.
"You can't see it, because it's behind the trees an' rocks," replied the tar.
The reef beyond the horseshoe was a dangerous one, with the sea dashing up many feet over it. There was only one break, less than thirty feet wide, so gaining entrance to the harbor would be no easy matter in a rowboat. "We had better wait until morning before we go ashore," said Captain Barforth. "Even if we land we'll be able to do little in the darkness."
"Oh, don't wait!" pleaded Tom.