Andy did not fancy being obliged to take a protector with him; but the mate was determined to share all the danger, and the two plunged into the thicket, after impressing upon Gil and Nelse the necessity of remaining hidden during their absence.
CHAPTER XVII.
A SUCCESSFUL SCHEME.
When the mate and cook started out to ascertain the whereabouts of the natives, the former carried the revolver, and the latter had strapped to his back the bundle of signal rockets.
At the time their only idea was to learn what the blacks were doing, and to that end Andy led the way back toward the cave, circling around in such a manner as would permit an approach from the south.
After traveling at a rapid pace for twenty minutes or more, the cook came to a halt, exclaiming as he did so:
“Dere’s no use tuckerin’ our legs all out at de start, kase dere’s plenty ob time.”
“How is it that you know this island so well? You move around as if you had always lived here.”
Andy tried to evade the question by speaking of the weather and the possibility that the yacht could approach the northern coast by the following morning; but Jenkins insisted on an answer, and finally the old fellow said:
“I mought jes’ as well tell de trufe; but I don’ hanker after habin’ de capt’in know erbout it.”