“What do you think of that plan, Roy?” Vance asked.
“I’ll go in for anything you two believe best. After being so smart I ought to be willing to tie my head in a bag until we reach port.”
“But you haven’t made any provision for keeping an eye on the hold,” Vance suggested in a whisper.
“Why can’t you do that? I’ll go into the pilot-house, Roy into the engine-room, and you would be at liberty to prowl around anywhere. It won’t be a very long watch if they intend to play square.”
“Then let’s begin at once.”
All hands arose to their feet and ascended the companion-way, since it was necessary first to go on deck in order to reach either of the places referred to.
Manuel was standing just beneath the wheel-house when the boys reached the open air, and it looked very much as if he had been hovering around the hatch-way in the hope of overhearing what might be said in the forward cabin, where the consultation was held.
“We are under way,” he said to Roy, treating him as the leader of the party, as was but natural, since by him he and his friends had been put in possession of the little craft.
“So I see. We should arrive some time during the night, for this craft can make twelve knots under ordinary circumstances.”
“If the weather holds good you will awaken in port,” was the reply. “The captain has been to Key West many times, and will get the little steamer there as soon as any other person could.”