When they arrived Andy had come up from the beach to report that no craft of any kind was in sight, and he stood looking at the ancient hatch in silent horror.
“You see the chart we found meant something after all!” Nelse cried, triumphantly, as Jenkins set about rigging a rude purchase to a tree which stood near by.
“It meant dat we wus boun’ ter git inter de biggest kin’ ob trubble,” the old darky replied, after a short pause. “You hear me, chillun, dis yere is a mighty bad bizness. Ef you’se ain’ hankerin’ arter de wuss scrape you’se ebber heard ob, kiver dat hol’ up right smart.”
“But what is the matter with your charm?” Nelse asked. “It worked well since the voudoos got hold of us, and why should it fail now?”
“It ain’ strong enuf fur dis kin’ ob fussin’—nuffin would stan’ dat,” Andy replied, moodily.
“Now don’t begin your croaking again,” Jenkins said, with a laugh, the apparent certainty of finding treasure causing him to feel very happy. “We’ve pulled through so far, an’ I reckon there won’t be anything startling happen before we can get a peep of what is underneath this hatch.”
“How’s you’se bin pullin’ trou’?” the old darky asked, angrily. “Didn’t you’se cum widin a han’s bref ob bein’ killed?”
“But we wasn’t, and the rockets instead of your charm did the business for us.”
“Has yer done forget when de men set us driftin’ ’roun’ in de little boat?”
“We got our own jest the same, and didn’t have to undergo many hardships.”