“But we haven’t got that number of cartridges, and it seems to me we had better begin operations mighty soon, for it’ll be harder after the old fellows are there to urge the rest on,” Gil suggested, and Nelse expressed the same opinion by saying:
“Suppose we make a rush? We can fire half-a-dozen shots at short range, and jump in on them while they are in confusion.”
“It’s takin’ a big risk,” Jenkins replied, thoughtfully.
“Of course it is, but we’ve got to run the chances, or give up all hopes of doing anything.”
It was only natural for Jenkins to hesitate, knowing, as he did, that Captain Mansfield would hold him responsible if anything happened to the boys while they were thus virtually under his charge, but both were so persistent and impatient that he was forced to act upon their suggestion or see them start off alone.
“We’ll try it,” he said, with a long-drawn breath; “but remember, if anything goes wrong, that I advised ag’in a battle where we’re outnumbered at least ten to one.”
“I’ll take it on myself to say you shan’t be blamed, no matter how badly we are beaten,” Gil replied. “Now are you ready?”
“Yes; have your revolvers in hand. We’ll creep up as near as we can, an’ when I give the signal each must shoot as fast as he can till we’ve given ’em three shots apiece; then make a rush for Andy, an’ if we get hold of him, make the best time for the shaft. That’ll draw the whole crowd down on us, an’ we haven’t any water; but he’ll be safe for a while.”
“Go ahead; we’ll follow. Move quick, for it don’t improve a fellow’s courage to stand here thinking about what’s to be done.”
It was not necessary for the boys to advise Jenkins to move quickly, since he was quite as eager as they to have the desperate affair settled.
That he should feel nervous was not to be wondered at, for he realized fully how many chances there were against success, and in case of a triumph, bought at the expense of a dangerous wound to one or the other of the boys, the mate knew only too well that Captain Mansfield would bring him to a rigid accounting.
“This is where I’m bound to get the worst of it anyhow,” he muttered to himself as he crept forward to a cleared spot, where it would be possible to use the revolver to advantage, “an’ I don’t know as it makes much difference how the thing turns out. If we get the best of it here, we’ve got to settle with the sailors, who, if any amount of treasure has been found, will be ripe for mischief.”