A DASH UPON THE GULF
"How About it, Frank? Ought all of us to go?" asked Jerry.
"Do you think any one wants to remain behind?" asked the party addressed.
"Speaking for myself, nothing could induce me to stay," came the reply.
"So say we all of us," declared Bluff, who had overheard the question.
"Besides, I think it wise that we stick together. If anything should happen that we couldn't come back here, it wouldn't matter much. You see, we've been able to tumble most of our stuff aboard in a scramble. It can be straightened out as we go. All ready, Jerry?" questioned Frank, as the other gave a shout.
"All ready! Get aboard, and start her. It's light enough to see, now. Oh!
I only hope we can find the professor!" cried Jerry as he embarked.
"If Fortune is kind, we must, boys. Now we're off!"
With these words, firmly spoken, Frank opened up, and the power-boat began to move through the water. Fortunately, it was deep in this shelter, so that they could make decent speed from the beginning. Had they anchored in such a shallow bayou as their last stopping place, it must have taken an hour to get clear of the various oyster bars, running out in finger-like ridges from the shore.
Presently they cleared the point of land marking the upper end of the sheltering key, and the limitless gulf lay before them.