A few minutes later, Bob was dreaming of big oak trees, moonlight shadows beneath them, kinky haired African outlaws and Spanish pieces-of-eight. At the same time, his new partner was down behind the Creole Coffee House playing “craps” with a half dozen colored stevedores, who relieved the Munchausen-like Jerry of his borrowed dollar with all the celerity of the most skilled pirate of the deep.
The next day was a busy one. And, at the last moment, many of the plans were changed. As the result of long and urgent petitions, Tom and Hal secured vacations of ten days. But even those, as the time for setting out approached, were found to be far too short to permit the execution of all that the boys hoped to do. The distance from Pensacola to Anclote Keys was at least two hundred and seventy miles. Even with a fair wind, the Three Sisters could not be expected to cover the distance in less than two days. Two days for a return trip left less than a week on the island.
“It ain’t worth the money and trouble, just for that,” growled Hal.
Bob finally suggested that Tom and Hal follow him by rail, and that Mac, Jerry Blossom and Captain Romano set out in the Three Sisters at once. The schooner would then have a week to reach the islands, set up a camp, and, leaving either Mac or Jerry in charge, sail the sixty-five miles to Tampa City, and report to Bob. When Tom and Hal reached Tampa, they would help start Bob or Tom or both on the flight of the aeroplane to the island, and the one left behind could return to the island on the schooner.
This idea met universal approval. Mac and Jerry could leave at any time. That afternoon, every member of the club worked valiantly in shipping the last of the Three Sisters’ cargo—which was by no means a light one—and when Bob left the wharf at four o’clock to prepare for his railroad journey, Captain Romano said he was ready to sail. The hour of his departure was set at five o’clock the next morning.
Mrs. Balfour was almost as keen for the trip to Tampa as Bob, and, when the St. Augustine night express drew out of the station at six o’clock, she fluttered her handkerchief as vigorously as Bob waved his cap at the boys left on the depot platform. At five o’clock the next morning, Sunday, Tom and Hal gave the same farewells to the Three Sisters as she fell away from the wharf before the fresh new day breeze. Then the two doleful boys left behind began to count the minutes until the next Friday evening when the third section of the momentous excursion would be off.
Before noon of Sunday, Bob and his mother were comfortably installed in apartments in one of the great Tampa Bay resort hotels. Bob figured that Captain Joe and the Three Sisters would probably reach Tampa Bay Thursday evening or Friday morning. The Captain was to report to Bob at his hotel at once. Tom and Hal would arrive at noon on Saturday. The aeroplane must be ready at that time. With five days in which to set up the airship, Bob started out Monday morning to locate his precious crates and bundles and to select a suitable aerodrome.
The aeroplane consignment was found in the freight depot. The securing of a secluded place, protected and large enough to permit the putting together of his thirty-nine-foot wide air craft was not so easy. After several hours of fruitless search, Bob made his way to a machine shop, had a conference with the superintendent, and for five dollars a day, employed a bright young mechanic to “assist him in setting up a motor”.
With Gabe Rice’s help—after Bob had confided to Gabe his real object under a pledge of secrecy—the two boys found a place fairly well suited to their needs. Just north of the city, on the Hillsborough River, they came across an abandoned, half demolished cigar factory. In the rear, an unfenced open ground ran down to the river. Within the building, with double doors opening on the cleared space, was a room that had been used for the storage of tobacco.
The room would afford sufficient shelter for the unpacked boxes and crates and when Gabe volunteered to spend the nights there, Bob decided the place would do. Bob found the owner the next morning. This gentleman refused to rent the place until he too was imparted the secret. Then, in a burst of enthusiasm, he told Bob to use the place free of charge. But Bob knew that the pay would come in more than one visit from the gratified owner.