"I want to be on board that ship," said Phil.
"We can easily eat breakfast afterwards," said Tom.
At this manifest neglect of his cooking, poor Solomon looked quite heart-broken; but Captain Corbet told him that he might bring the things ashore, and this in some measure assuaged his grief.
It did not take long to get ready. The oar was flung on board the boat, which had thus far been floating behind the schooner; and though the boat had a little too much water on board to be comfortable, yet no complaints were made, and in a few minutes they were landed.
"How much time have we yet?" asked Bart, "before high tide?"
"O, you've got fifteen or twenty minutes," said Captain Corbet.
"Hurrah, boys! Come along," said Bart; and leading the way, he went straight to the office.
As he approached it he uttered suddenly a cry of joy.
"What's the matter, Bart?"
Bart said nothing, but hurried forward, and the astonished boys saw him shaking hands very vigorously with a gentleman who seemed like the chief man on the place. He was an old acquaintance, evidently. In a few minutes all was explained. As the boys came up, Bart introduced them as his friends, and they were all warmly greeted; after which the gentleman said,—