Before they retired for the night, the boys talked the situation over once more.
“I don’t see why we can’t make a break for it,” grumbled Randy. “We can wait until about two or three o’clock in the morning. Nearly everybody will be sound asleep by that time, and we could steal to the stern and get to the motor boat by the cable without half trying.”
“Yes! But how about grub?” questioned Fred.
“And how about gasoline?” put in Ralph. “We couldn’t run very long on the supply that was left when we were captured. We were running mighty low, and I was afraid we would go short before we got out of the fog.”
“You’ve got to remember one thing,” observed Spouter. “If they found us trying to steal away in the darkness, they’d have no mercy on us. They’d probably handcuff us and throw us in the ship’s brig and feed us the poorest food they have on board.”
“Yes, and they’d probably steal everything we’ve got in the bargain,” came from Gif.
In the end they resolved to take Ira Small’s advice and wait at least another day.
All of the other lads had listened with interest to what Jack had told them about the lanky sailor’s yarn of thirteen rocks and the pirates’ hidden gold.
“It might not be such a fairy tale as you think,” said Fred. “If you’ll remember, the pirates of years gone by hid lots of gold and other treasure on out-of-the-way islands of the West Indies.”