"I vonder oof ve vas coming pack any more?" murmured Carl. "Der ocean iss full oof wrecks, und I hope dot ve von't be wrecked in it mitoudt any poats to ged avay in."
Dick laughed, turned around and reached out to slap Carl on the shoulder.
"Belay, there, with your gloomy remarks, mate!" cried Dick. "I'd rather be in the air with the Hawk than down there in the staunchest ship that ever left the stays. The barometer says fine weather—and we know what the Hawk can do even with a wholes'l breeze in her teeth. So long as the sky is clear there's no need to worry; and if we see a squall coming up, we'll put about and scud for the mainland. Buck up, old ship! Think of the iron chest."
"Dot's vat's der madder!" exclaimed Carl, brightening. "Ve're bound for der islandt to look for dreasure, und dot makes me feel so goot as I can't dell. I bed you somet'ing for nodding dot ve findt dot chest, und ve pring him pack to Downsent und he vill take him py New Orleans. Hoop-a-la!"
Steadily and tirelessly the Hawk made her way across the heaving waters. There was no way by which the boys could figure her speed, but, carefully weighing the force of the wind, they guessed it at twenty-five miles an hour.
"That means," said Ferral, "that in four hours we ought to be close to Turtle Key."
"Providing we don't get off our course," returned Matt.
"You can't do that, mate, with the compass right in front of you."
"It's only a patch of land we're looking for, Dick, and even if the course is kept we're liable to find ourselves a few points off, one side or the other."