“Good,” said he, heartily; “spoken like a man. I’ll be only too glad to have you fellows.” 89
“We’ll take Tom Barnum, too,” said Jack. “He can be relied on in any crisis. Wait here until I stir him up and tell the boys.”
Leaving the other, Jack went outside and apprised his chums of the new plan. It was just the thing they needed to rouse them from the despondency into which contemplation of the damage to their airplane had thrown them. Then he went to Tom Barnum’s quarters. Tom had not yet returned to sleep. He was eager to join in the adventure. Bringing three or four pistols, Jack and Tom quickly rejoined the party.
“What is your idea, Captain Folsom?” Jack inquired, when all were ready to depart and everything had been made tight about the station.
“First of all, how far is it to Starfish Cove?”
“Between two and three miles,” answered Bob. “But the tide is out, and we shall have good going on the hard sand, and ought to make it under forced draught in a half hour or a little more.”
“Is there any other place where small boats might land conveniently, any other place reasonably near?”
The boys and Tom Barnum shook their heads.
“That’s far and away the best place,” said Jack.
“Well, then, I propose that we make our way close to the Cove, and then take to the cover of the 90 trees, which you have given me to understand, come down there close to the water.”