CHAPTER XVII.
ON BOARD THE WRECK.
Everybody could hear the sounds now. The conditions must have been favorable for carrying a human voice far over the water, because fog is a good conductor of sound.
Men were talking apparently, though the rumble of their voices alone came over the surface of the water, and no actual words could be distinguished.
"What's that other noise?" asked Teddy, as though puzzled.
"Must be oars working in the rowlocks," suggested Jack.
"Of course," declared the explorer, "how foolish of me to ask such a silly question. But seems I don't get the give-away sounds as clear as I did a minute or so ago."
"Good reason then," Frank told him; "because the boat they're rowing is heading out on to the bay."
"Then you think there must be some sort of vessel there, do you, Frank?" asked Teddy, eagerly, as he tried in vain to penetrate the blanket of mist.
"I reckon there might be," replied Frank, "though, of course, we can't see anything of the same right now. That rowboat wouldn't be setting out into the big sheet of water, unless heading for a vessel."