“Come on, let’s get over there as fast as we can!” came from Andy.
On account of the rocks and the thick jungle it would have been almost impossible to walk around the shore of the inner cove; so all rushed back to where the launch had been left and in a minute more they were on their way to the abandoned vessel.
“It’s the Margarita, all right enough!” shouted Fred, as they approached. “There’s the name as plain as can be!”
“Yes, it’s the Margarita,” answered Captain Corning, and the tone of his voice was full of hope, yet his face showed keen anxiety.
“Looks as if somebody had been here ahead of us,” was Jack’s comment. “She looks as if she’d been stripped of everything of value.”
“Oh, Jack, don’t say that!” cried Fred, in dismay.
“Well, look for yourself. There isn’t a bit of brasswork or an anchor or a chain left anywhere.”
Telling the diver and Jake Patnak to remain on board the launch, Captain Corning led the way on board the abandoned yacht followed by the four Rovers. The yacht lay partly on her side so that walking on the deck was difficult.
“Be careful or you may break a leg or your neck,” cautioned the captain. “There’s a lot of rotten wood here, and you don’t want to fall through into the hold.”