Los Angeles herald., 1906-10-21

those pirates can keep their eyes on US,
assented, sull<ily. ..;,ed
And the three set out apparently unnotleeu
by the Spaniard, who, with his compSniSf -
Launce, was smoking beneath the shei'e'
the trees. :, 10Th
Gomez probably did not think it worm
while to keep very strict watcn w. ti,o Kew
prisoners, for they could not leave tne ,S, y
save in the boat. The raft, which server ,,i55 S~5
well to paddle around in the haTDor "ouiu -d'.
have been worse than useless outside, ana even
Percy, who was ready for any despeta.: e.
ture, did not think for moment Oh uSins w
use it as means OF escape -,
| The old camp was found to be IN the s9hie 1
condition as when they left It, Inc ruIely
made condenser was in place, Win no uan
ger of rusting out, however long unuseu anu
uncared for, and to the, unhappy treasure
| seekers the place had such home look tnat
| it was almost as if they had returned to
| Tampa.
"Wel sleep here tonight" Bob decided, as
they surveyed the roof of vines, thinking now
| comfortable they could make themselves there
! if it was not for the unwelcome VISITORS at
the harbor '1 want to talk to you before we
turn in, and we'll walk along the shore, where
there's no chance that Gomez can creep upon
us unawares."
| Percy's face lighted at this speech, for it
sounded as if the captain was thinking OF
making some resistance, while Dudley look
| ed disturbed, for he would have been willing
to suffer any discomfort and indignity rather
| than bring the wrath of their captors upon
them.
! there was no likelihood of being overh card,
| ''that we are to do all the drudgery for these
men, and that they will keep us here as long
as they see fit"
"Thats exactly it," agreed Percy, angrily,
"and don't believe in submitting tamely."
Neither do l." replied Bob, calmly. when
it was only a question of stealing our boat,
| we were not warranted in acting rashly. But
under the present circumstances, when there
is an opportunity that shows ever so slight
possibility of success, think we should resort
| to desperate measures.
eff we could get their weapons while they
are asleep we should have everything our own
way" suggested Percy.
eyes; but the if in such case is altogether
too large. We can't do that, and YOU know
it as well as do. In the first place, we must
! not make a move until the men come back
with the Jaquita, which they are sure to do
pretty soon, for they have either gone for
more provisions or to find some one who can
read the cryptogram. Tomorrow we shall
have to dig, and we must make the best of
bad bargain by doing exactly as we are told
Now, / propose that while we are acting as
if we were halfway willing to obey his Or
ders, we make preparation for escape OF re-
sistance. We must contrive to get such food
as will not spoil, or anything else that may
be useful to us, and hurry it over here. When
the feucca comes back, If we find that there
is no chance OF gaining possession Of her, we
will if we can get only SO much as one of the
muskets, make break for the other end of
the island and try to signal some vessel. That
would be pretty desperate venture, with but
little hope of success, but 1 am in favor of it,
rather than to stay here indefinitely as slaves
to these villains"
"That's what / call a sensible way to
talk" Percy said, approvingly, as he glanced
| at Dudley, who made no remark, but whose
face wore anything rather than cheerful ex-
preston.
During the remainder of the evening Bob
and Percy discussed in whispers the details
of the plan, and when they lay down to sleep
there was well-defned hope in the heart Of
| each.
On the following morning acting under the
advice of Bob, the boys, after first having
buried one of the axes and the hatchet, pre-,
sented themselves before their task-masters.
ready for work, which act evidently caused
Gomez to believe he already had them under
thorough subjection.
Their apparent Willingness, however, did
not induce any leniency on the part of their
captors., As soon as the breakfast had been
prepared, during which time Percy had An
opportunity to carry large piece of bacon
to the old camp, the Spaniard ordered them
to shoulder their shovels, and lead him and
his companions to the place where the cryn.
togram had been found.
On arriving at the spot, the two men exam.
ined carefully the fragments of the lxeo and
the litter in which the paper and rope had
been placed, but succeeded in discovering No
more than had the boys
"Why did you mark out such a LONG
trench?' Gomez asked. -O"s
And Bob replied, readily:
"The palm had been broken off. We didn,t
know whether that had been done before or
J coNTINUED on FOLLOWING PAGE