“We shall find a way out of it, if the calm continues. Give me a chance to get over the bow before they know we’re in the vicinity, and I’ll take the risk of their weapons.”
The discussion on the yacht was fast degenerating into a regular row. The men were talking so loudly that a reasonably good idea of the condition of affairs could be gained by the listeners.
Several of the mutineers were insisting on making this particular key a sort of rendezvous, and demanding that a certain lot of goods (probably something they had saved from the Mary and Jane) should be brought here.
Another faction, and among them the leader, wanted to run for the Florida Straits, in order to remain hidden among the keys until search for the yacht should be abandoned. They believed, and with good reason, that Captain Mansfield would not tamely submit to the loss of his vessel, and, since the weather had been favorable for navigation in a small boat, it was more than probable those who had been dispossessed would succeed in reaching Nassau.
Greatly to the disappointment of the two concealed among the foliage on shore, the men did not come to blows, although each instant it seemed as if such would be the case. After squabbling for twenty minutes or more the mutineers appeared to have come to some kind of an understanding, and a quantity of the cabin stores were brought on deck for breakfast.
Each one appeared to be his own cook, and the wastefulness displayed would have brought tears of vexation to Andy’s eyes. A tin of beef, which one fellow opened, was tossed overboard after he had taken out two slices.
A box of biscuit was left on the house that each might help himself, and the greater portion used in firing on a wager at a floating bottle.
This kind of horseplay came to an end finally, and then the half-drunken crew began lowering one of the boats.
“It is possible that our opportunity is near at hand,” Captain Mansfield whispered. “It looks as if some of them were coming ashore, and it is time the rest of our party were ready for action. Creep back softly, and send them to me. Then pole our boat as near the mouth of the cove as is safe.”
By a chance as fortunate and unexpected as had been the coming of the Day Dream, all the mutineers but two prepared to go on shore, and, as nearly as Captain Mansfield could judge, each man had armed himself either with a rifle or revolver, thus exhausting the supply of weapons on board.