The weather was now fine, although it was so cool that they were obliged to wear their overcoats whenever they were on deck, and they could not help enjoying this unexpected sea voyage.
They did not see much of the tug-boat people. These men lived forward with the crew of the steamer, while the boys ate and slept with the passengers.
On the morning of the third day of their steamer trip, they met one of the tug-boat crew,—a man named Adam Guy. This man had been the only person on board the tug-boat to whom the boys had taken any particular fancy. He had been a sailor, had visited many parts of the world, and had a great deal to tell of his various experiences on the sea and land. He was a strong and wiry, but not very large, man; and, like many sailors, he wore little gold rings in his ears. His hair was thin and sandy, and hung in short curls at the back of his head. He had a pleasant smile, and appeared to be an easy-going, good-tempered fellow.
“Young men,” said Adam, “I’ve been a-wantin’ to see you and have a little talk with you. Do you know there’s no chance of our meetin’ any vessels, or of your bein’ sent home or gettin’ any word back, either?”
“How is that?” asked the boy.
“Why, it’s just this. We’re out of the way now of all craft bound north. I did think we might a’ met a coast steamer yesterday or the day before; but if we did, we passed them in the night, for I didn’t see any. We are now off the coast of Florida, and as we are sailin’ south, we keep pretty well in shore, so as to be out of the way of the Gulf Stream, which runs northward, you know; and, as you’ve lived on a big river, you understand what it is to sail agin a strong tide. But, of course, every vessel bound north tries to keep in the current of the Gulf Stream, so’s to be helped along. So, just about here, where the Gulf Stream is near our coast, you find all vessels, goin’ south, keepin’ pretty near shore, and them bound north, far out. It won’t be long before we’re near enough to the coast for you to see the trees. And we’ll run down till we git about opposite Jupiter light, and then we’ll sail across the stream and make straight for the Bahamas. I know all about these waters, for I’ve sailed in them often. Now, as for me, I don’t want to go to Nassau, and I don’t believe you want to, either. The captain of our tug and the rest of our men are all willin’ to go, and ship on this steamer for their home trip. They’ll be short o’ hands then, for some of the crew are to be discharged at Nassau, but I don’t want to go to that old English town. I’ve been there, and I’ve had enough of it.”
“But what are we going to do?” asked Phil. “We can’t jump overboard and swim ashore.”
“No,” said Adam, “we can’t do that, but I’ve a plan in my head. Before we git to Jupiter light, the water is so deep near the coast that steamers often run in very close. Now, if the captain would lie-to there and send you fellers and me ashore in a boat, it would be the best thing he could do for us.”
“What would we do when we got there?” asked the boys.
“Do?” said Adam. “Why we’d all go North, and lose no time about it, instead of goin’ over to the Bahamas and stayin’ there, I don’t know how long, and then takin’ a week for the home trip. Just back of the coast-line, down there, is the Indian River, and sometimes it’s not much more’n a stone’s throw from the beach. If we could be landed, we could easily git over to that, and there we’d find a craft to take us up to Titusville, and from that place we’d easy git over to the St. John’s River, and then you boys could telegraph home. I’ve travelled all through that part of Florida, and I could take you along as straight as a bee-line. There are settlements here and there on the Indian River, and you needn’t be afraid but we’ll be taken good care of till we git to Titusville. After that it’ll be all plain sailin’.”