Bob looked once more to the stopper on the bow hawser, as if the idea of leaving the little steamer even for so short a time made him uneasy regarding her safety; and then, when, about to step over the rail into the yawl, he involuntarily glanced seaward.
"Well, if that don't take all the wind outer my sails!" he exclaimed, pointing with one hand toward the open ocean as he shaded his eyes with the other. "An hour ago I'd 'a' been glad to see sich a sight as that; but with the paper the boys found I've kinder lost all hankerin' for a chance to leave this key."
The remainder of the party were already on board the yawl, and it was some seconds before the full meaning of his words could be understood. It was Harry who first caught a glimpse of that which attracted the old sailor's attention, and he cried, as he clambered over the steamer's rail:
"It's a vessel! Father has sent some one to look for us, and now we can go home!"
"I reckon you're wrong there, lad," Bob said as his companions gathered around him, all gazing intently at a small schooner which was creeping slowly toward the key from the southeast, evidently heading directly for the cove. "That craft hasn't got American sailors on board by considerable. She looks like a fisherman—most likely comin' here for turtles. Whatever she is, we must put off goin' ashore for a spell."
Joe quickly brought the compass from the yawl, that no evidences of their intended visit ashore should be seen, and said, as he took up his tools once more:
"We'd better keep right on about our work, for in case they are coming here it may look suspicious to see us loafing when the steamer is so nearly a wreck."
But for the document found by the boys Joe would not have had such a thought. Now, however, the possibility that there might be a large amount of treasure secreted on the key made him over-cautious and distrustful.
Bob returned to the cabin, for the "curse of wealth" had also begun to make itself felt on him, and the three boys watched the approach of the stranger, but far less eagerly than would have been the case a few hours previous.
Slowly the schooner drew nearer, still heading directly for the cove, and shortening sail only when she was inside the outer point of land.