Los Angeles herald., 1906-11-18

II
tract. Ii you are rested we will look aroun'
for good place in which to stay all nlght
and tomorrow morning we'll hold council
war"
Then the captain started toward the interior
of the key, quite as jaded and worn as were
the two who followed him, and in short tint
hiding place had been found.
1t was but little past noon, yet all thre'
telt the need of rest, and they lay down in thu
thicket, where they were soon sleeping al
soundly as if their pursuers had never had al
existence.
The fire continued across the island unit
all the vegetation had been scorched and black
ened, except that portion of the key wher'
the boys were hiding, and on the morrow, har
bor-encircling points.
Here and there, where a blasted trunk Of
decaying branches had been found in the tract
OF the fire, the flames could vet be seen; bu
elsewhere the confagration had simply passed
over the green face of the island almost like
a flash, leaving a broad, black trail, which
nature would soon tint again with emerald
hues.
When the fugitives awakened next morning
after having slept continuously for twelve OF
thirteen hours, and when the question o
what should be done arose, it was found that
the general opinion of the party had under
gone something of change. Percy, who had
been SO strongly in favor of resistance, and oi
remaining on or near the key, was now as
eager to get back to Tampa as was Dudley.
1t seemed certain that the compass was de
stroyed, since it had been hidden directly in
the track OF the flames, and as nothing could
be done toward finding the treasure until an
other had been procured. his only thought and
desire was to get to the mainland with the
least possibly delay.
His Il proposition was that they build another
raft OF gourds and again try to cross the BAY
without sails; but to this Bob and Dudley
opposed the most decided objections. IF they
could not gain the shore in staunch vesse
like the .Jaquita, simply because they had nc
means of guiding her, there were few chances
they could not propel, however slowly.
we shall have to wait until Gomez and
his gang leave, and then depend upon signaline
some craft" Bob said, decidedly. 'T don't
believe they will stay long now, for they must
be short of provisions, and they surely won't
spend much time trying to find the gold among
the cinders"
And while we are waiting for them to &c
away, we have got to make up our minds how
we shall get something to drink. 1t seems as
it we had been without water ever since we
landed here. These biscuits are worse than
nothing to eat, for they make fellow SC
thirsty"
We'll walk along the shore on the east
and perhaps We can find some mangrove trees
hanging low enough in the sea to have oysters
on them," Bob suggested.
And the boys started out at once. believing
there would be but little risk in so doing az
it was hardly probable that the men, simply
for the sake of revenge, would undertake a
journey through the charred and blackened
bushes
Dudley was in advance when they arrived
near the beach, and he had hardly parted the
branches in front of him, to admit of a view
of the shore, when he leaped back, performing
a series of the most wonderful gestures, ex.
pressive OF, fear OF Joy, but his companions
were at loss to understand which.
Running forward quickly, and gazing
through the leafless branches, Bob and Percy
saw that which caused them both to indulge
in pantomime of delight.
About a mile from the shore could be seen
the raft, on which were the four men Tbe
night wind had been blowing gently from the
west, and they had probably sought to take
advantage of it as soon as day broke; but with
the rising of the sun it had died out entirely
leaving them drifting in a southerly direction
at the rate of about half a mile an hour.
They've goneP Percy cried, exultantly n,
he looked again at the unwieldiy craft. "'
Bob's second view of the enemy was moi
as satisfactory as the previous one. and h.
said, after he had glanced first at the raft anG
then at the cloudless heavens:
"They haven't gone very far and unless I'm
again before sunset. There's no promise 81
any wind today, and they will do their best e
work in TO the lower end of the key"
at will take them long time to do that ,
Percy said, in tone of delight ''
eyes, and we've got good chance TO searcl
at the old camp. The water cask / pushed
overheard may still be floating in the barbor
Let's cut across and up the west shore"
why not go this Il way! They can't hit u
There's no need of letting them know tha