"We reckon on leavin' the tug here," Bob replied gravely. "She's aground, an' what's worse, bunged up so bad that three weeks wouldn't be any too long for repairs. 'Cordin' to my figgerin' the brig can be floated reasonably easy; an' with Joe Taylor aboard I can run her to the mainland pretty nigh as quick as if we had more of a crew."
"Do you mean that you don't care about takin' us along?" the slim man asked.
Bob hesitated an instant, hardly caring to say plainly that he had no desire for their company, and then he replied:
"It ain't wholly as I say. Considerin' what has been done, an' that the Sea Bird was disabled through the carelessness of one of my party, Joe has got as much interest here as I, an' he'd have to agree."
"Does he make any objection to helping us out of this hole if we're willing to do our full share of work?" the Mexican asked.
"I don't say he does, 'cause, you see, we haven't made any talk about sich a plan."
"Then find out jes' what he's willin' to do;" and the thin man spoke very earnestly. "We'll agree to obey orders like as if we'd signed articles, an' before the brig reaches the coast you'll be mighty glad of our help."
"Do you know what island this is?" Bob asked as if desiring to change the conversation.
"It's one of the Double-Breasted Keys," the thin man replied.
"On the Bahama Bank?"