“What do you mean? Don’t you intend to come with us?”
“Not just yet. We’ve got to have water, an’ I’m goin’ for some.”
“You’ve nothing to bring it in, no matter how much you should find.”
“I’ve got a scheme for attendin’ to that part of the business, an’ want to leave as soon as possible, so don’t make me stay here chinning.”
Gil realized that it was not the time to ask many questions, and he obeyed without another word, after Nelse had let himself down the opening.
In less than five minutes from the time the second sailor joined the first all hands except Jenkins were crouching in the tunnel, with the rope coiled up beside them, and already had the shades of night gathered so densely that it was impossible to distinguish each other, save by the tones of the voices.
Now they had reached what seemed a desirable hiding-place while the matter was under discussion, it no longer appeared either safe or comfortable, and the prospect of being besieged while in such cramped quarters was anything rather than pleasant.
“I’m beginnin’ to think Andy had more sense than the rest of us,” one of the sailors said, as he tried to find a spot where he could stretch out at full length. “It’ll be mighty hard lines after them imps shut us in here like rats in a trap, an’, when the captain comes back, I’d like to know how he’s goin’ to find us if there are fifteen or twenty blacks standin’ around the openin’ up there ready to kill the first who shows himself long enough to hail them as may be huntin’ for us.”
This was a phase of the case which neither Gil nor Nelse had taken into consideration, and they began to feel very uncomfortable in mind.
“What should we do if we heard father and couldn’t let him know where we were?” he asked, in a whisper.