“Well, we haven’t found anything since three o’clock this morning, when the last pair of bricks came up,” replied the other, yawning wearily, “and I rather reckon all the balance of the stuff must be buried under fathoms of sand outside the hulk.”
“That means no living being will ever see it again, doesn’t it?” asked Jack.
“Well, if the day ever comes when they get an excavating machine that can work a hundred or two feet under the surface of the sea,” replied the skipper humorously, “I wouldn’t be surprised if they’d root out heaps of gold that’s been buried for centuries. But till that time comes it’s going to stay hidden.”
“Well, the chef told me to say breakfast was ready, Captain,” Oscar reported.
“And I’ll be mighty glad to get some strong coffee, for I’m played out,” the other admitted.
“But you mean to do some more looking about, don’t you, while we have the apparatus rigged?” Ballyhoo wanted to know.
“I reckon we’ll make a few more tries, lad, before we pull up stakes and clear out,” he was informed. “I’m hoping that something will fetch that old filibuster over this way before we quit. I’d like to leave him the bag to hold.”
All through the night one of the men had been stationed near the end of the Key, seated in the small boat. His duty was to keep a vigilant lookout for any sign of a moving light; for Captain Shooks had been a little fearful lest the enemy steal on them unawares, and catch them either napping or at work.
This man was recalled by a signal, and another sent off in his place. Then breakfast occupied their attention, nor were any of the boys sorry to find such a bountiful spread put before them.
After that work was resumed at the old stand. One of the divers, who had had several hours’ sleep, was sent down, the other resting meanwhile. Captain Shooks also announced his intention of giving it one more try personally, not being quite satisfied that the “pocket” had been wholly exhausted.