PREPARATIONS.
"Sit down, Charley," said the captain sternly, "are you crazy, lad? You can do nothing in your present state, and if you go and make yourself sick, you will cause us all a deal of trouble and worry."
Charley sank back upon his couch. "But there is so much to be done, Captain," he protested.
"Now look here, lad," said the old sailor, "say those fellows have got their boat finished and start for that island we left this morning, it will take them quite a while to get there and I expect they will look it over a bit before following us. Take the time spent there and the time it will take them to reach here, an' I reckon it will be late in the afternoon before we see anything of them."
"It won't do to take any chances, Captain. We had ought to be ready now."
"Go ahead and say what you want done and we will do it while you sleep," said the captain. "But if you persist in getting up, I'll be hanged if I'll do a stroke of work, outlaws or no outlaws."
"Me neither," chimed in Chris.
"Better go to sleep, Charley," advised his chum. "I am going to get a nap, myself. I know I'll be able to work better for it."
Charley gave in with an unwilling sigh. "All right, I suppose I'll have to do as you all say."
"Tell us your plans and we will see that they are carried out," the captain said.