The only thing now left to be done, as it seemed, was to start for home. All were in favor of this.

“Bejabers, I’m more than ready to be off,” cried Barney. “Shure, it’s an outlandish counthry about here, onyway.”

“Huh,” sniffed Pomp, “I don’t see no country, nuffin’ but de ocean all about us!”

“Arrah, an’ don’t yez be so funny,” retorted Barney. “Shure, ain’t the counthry underneath us, an’ phwativer more kin yez ask fer than that?”

This put Pomp to thinking, and no more was said just then. But Frank and Wade discussed the question.

And the result was, it was finally decided to return home after first paying a visit to Belize and having the boat’s engines overhauled.

The Diver, meanwhile, had been drifting all the time nearer to Cape Catoche. The shore presented an alluring aspect, and Wade exclaimed:

“I say, Frank, we ought really to run ashore here for a little while. It will give us a chance to stretch our legs, and I may find a few specimens.”

“Or fall into the grip of the Caribs,” laughed Frank.

“I’ll risk that.”