“And I’m convinced the mainland lies to the north of us,” Roy added in quite as positive a tone.
“I don’t know anything about it, so it will be necessary for you fellows to fight it out among yourselves.”
“Of course you’ll agree that we want to get back to Key West rather than attempt to go to Savannah?” Vance said to Roy.
“Certainly.”
“Well, suppose this key is on the very edge of the line of shoals, and we steer due north: there’s a possibility of our striking straight across to where we were originally bound, which wouldn’t be pleasant.”
“Well, what if we went to the west?”
“We are positive this key isn’t south of Key West, and if we run a westerly course we’re bound to strike some land between here and the Gulf of Mexico.”
“It’s my opinion that Vance has got the best of this argument,” Ned said with a laugh, and Roy replied:
“I reckon he has, and I’ll get supper if you fellows will turn to and help. After dragging on those heavy ropes it doesn’t seem as if I had strength enough to feed myself.”
All were hungry, but felt at the same time so tired that the exertion of cooking seemed too great to be thought of, and Ned proposed that they content themselves with a cold supper.