At the last moment Captain Mansfield had decided to take but one of the sailors with him, in order that as large a force as possible might be left behind in case the blacks should return bent on mischief, and the remainder of the party stood on the beach to say good-by.
“We won’t go very strong on the parting business,” the captain said, as he saw by the faces of Gil and Nelse that they were considerably distressed because of his leaving. “With this wind we shall be on shore again by sunset, and the trip will be nothing more than child’s play. Keep together as much as possible, and remember that Mr. Jenkins is in command.”
Then he took his seat at the helm, the tiny sail was hoisted, and in a few seconds the little craft was lost to view amid the gloom.
Those who had been left behind set about getting breakfast, for the voyagers preferred to eat theirs in the boat rather than lose time by waiting on shore until a meal could be cooked, and when this very important portion of the day’s duties was finished the question arose as to what should first be done.
Jenkins sent Andy down the coast to watch lest the blacks should return unobserved, and then the boys proposed that they be allowed to continue the search for the supposed treasure.
To this the mate agreed after some slight hesitation, and once more the work of digging was begun, but on this occasion fathoms instead of feet were measured off, according to the suggestion of the sailor, who said:
“It don’t stand to reason that any decent pirates would put down figgers ’cordin’ to shore lingo. It’s fathoms, or I’m a duffer.”
Whether or no he was a “duffer,” both Gil and Nelse were willing to try the experiment, more especially since the first attempt resulted in such a signal failure, and when the bearings had been taken—this time accurately with one of the compasses saved from the Day Dream—the boys went to work in good earnest, assisted now and then by the men.
During an hour they labored industriously without having seen anything to give encouragement, and just as Gil was on the point of saying that he had had enough of digging for supposititious gold, the spade struck something which gave forth a metallic sound.
“There’s more than earth down here!” he exclaimed, triumphantly, plying the tool with renewed vigor, and Jenkins leaped into the excavation as he cried: