When we touched sh.o.r.e, we saw four men coming from down the beach.
"It wasn"t them," said Robert. "The light was up here."
The four were the treasure-hunters.
"It"s a fine night," said Norris, moving to meet the men.
"Tolerable," returned the leader.
"But it"s awful dry," said Norris. "We"ve been trying to make it rain.
Hear the shot?"
Robert and I fell back, gazing into the shadows under the palms, hoping for signs of Wayne and Ray. Presently I heard a low whistle, just as Robert plucked me by the sleeve and pulled me to the boat.
There were the two boys in the water. We covered them while they climbed in and crawled under the seats.
And so Robert and I moved back to the group. Just to make talk, Norris was quizzing the men about the game on the island; but we contrived, by signs, to convey to Norris that we had news.
"Well, boys," said Norris at last, "let"s have another little row before we turn in."
It was a jolly crowd rowed back to the _Pearl_.
"Say, Ray," said Norris. "What did you want to run off and hide yourself that way for?"
"Want to," sniffed Ray. "Oh, just to see how good a hunter you were--wonderful how easy you found us!"
"Well, let"s try it again," said Norris, "and I"ll bet you my new gun--"
"Thanks," said Ray. "Turn about"s fair play, I"m going to stay in base and keep Rufe company."
And here again Wayne takes up the tale.
CHAPTER XVIII
OUR BOAT IS SCUTTLED
When Ray and I set our feet on the deck of the _Pearl_ again, I felt a thrill go all through me. I felt like hugging the mainmast. Captain Marat and Carlos were there, and Rufe. Rufe fairly blubbered with happiness.
"Oh, Lordy!" he said, "somebody clap foh me, I jes" got to dance."
And we clapped our hands and patted our thighs in time for him, and he began his "double-shuffle." Carlos caught the infection and jumped into the ring, and there the two black men footed it hot on the deck for five minutes. "Hoo-o-we," yelled Rufe at last, and ran for the galley.
In a little a sumptuous meal was on the table for Ray and me; and while we ate, waited on by the others, we told our story.
"Five thousand dollars!" said Norris. "Duran spending five thousand on the chance of getting us off his trail. That must be some gold mine, that of yours, Carlos."
"Yes, I think," agreed Carlos.
At last came a whole big bread pudding. "I jes" know you was a"comin", an" I saved it," said Rufe.
Ray turned over his stool, as he jumped to give the black a hug. "Oh, if I"d only known that was coming." And he put his hand on his stomach.
When we two had stuffed ourselves the limit, Ray lingered at the table, looking very sober, his chin in his hand, his eyes on the big remaining portion of the pudding. Rufe sidled up.
"What it is make you so sad?" he said.
"Say, Rufe," said Ray, "isn"t it the chicken that has two stomachs?"
"I reckon dat"s right," said Rufe.
"Well, I guess I"m half a chicken," said Ray.
"Why," said Rufe, "has you got two stummicks?"
"No," returned Ray, a wail in his tone, "but I"ve got two appet.i.tes."
And Rufe rolled on the deck.
"Well, now," said Norris at last, "that voodoo skunk can sail when he gets ready, the sooner the better."
"Yes," agreed Captain Marat. "Now we ready for heem. He ver" clever if he fool us some more, now."
Norris volunteered to take the watch till two o"clock; then Robert offered to follow him. All others turned in.
I awoke, hearing Robert in talk with Captain Marat. "It looks to me like the _Orion"s_ moving, slowly--no sails up," Robert was saying. In a little while the two climbed into a small boat. The moon had gone down, and it was quite dark. The night breeze was still blowing gently. I again dozed off, too tired to note what was going forward.
I do not know how long I slept this time, but when I opened my eyes next, it was to hear blocks creaking; and jib and mainsail were already set, and the foresail was going up. Marat and Robert had gone to the isle, and hurried over opposite the _Orion"s_ berth, to find that that schooner"s crew had been warping the vessel out toward the south pa.s.sage. The two waited till the _Orion_ had made sufficient progress to set her sails and attain headway, then they had hurried back to set the _Pearl_ in pursuit again.
The tail end of a squall came to give us a boost. The _Orion_ got a greater portion of it.
Ray did not waken till we were well out in the open sea.
"What!" said he, looking abroad. "Has the island sunk?"
In half an hour the sun burst out of the sea, showing that island astern. The _Orion_ was perhaps three miles away, heading a little south of west. It was not till eleven that morning that we got a wind to give us good headway.
Day after day, now again, we kept the schooner, _Orion_, company. She seemed to make no effort to elude us. The nights were bright moonlight, making us an easy task. Then at last we sighted the towering, ragged mountains of the great island of the voodoos. We were to the south of the island this time.
"Looks like that skunk is going the long way round," said Norris.
"Hopes to shake us off somewhere on the south coast, maybe," I suggested.
"Thad is ver" evident," said Captain Marat. "He could save ver" much time to go back by the north coast."