“Certainly not. It is true that there are a large number of negroes, more especially in Hayti, who believe in that sort of mummery; but you can hunt for the treasure just as long as you please without fear of being molested by any of them.”
“And you are willing we should make the attempt?”
“Dig away as much as you please; but I fancy a couple of days’ work will give you all the searching that’s needed.”
“Will you help us find the spot as shown by the drawing?”
“I’ll spend a short time at it, providing we have safe anchorage for the schooner.”
This was even more than Gil had dared to hope, and his spirits revived wonderfully.
“Then we shan’t have any trouble in bringing away a lot of gold,” he cried, and from that moment until it was time to retire, save when they were eating, he and Nelse studied the tracing on the piece of brown paper.
When the boys “turned in,” the wind was blowing steadily from the same quarter as when the message from the shipwrecked ones was received, and there appeared to be no doubt but that the _Day Dream_ would make the key at the time set by Captain Mansfield.
Even the idea of the treasure did not prevent the boys from thinking very much of the sufferers, whom they hoped to be able to relieve, and on awakening next morning, the first question was as to whether the necessary rate of speed had been maintained.
“We’ll be there on time,” Captain Mansfield replied, cheerily. “Before twelve o’clock we shall have performed a good deed at the expense of but little trouble, or have the satisfaction of knowing we did all that was possible, under the circumstances.”
Old Andy seemed to have resolved that he would find cause for fear in everything which happened.
“We’se gwine straight to de debble,” he grumbled, when the boys spoke with him about the shipwrecked men. “Dere’s no use ter try an make me tink a bird knowed enuf after he was dead, to float alongside dis yere schooner so’s we could get de writin’, kase it don’ stan’ to reason.”
“That part of it was chance, of course,” Gil replied, “and I can’t see that there is anything strange in the men doing all they could to attract attention.”
“Dere’s sumfin wrong ’bout de whole bizness, kase where’s de sailor man what kin ketch a gull? I’se tellin’ you, honey, dat de voudoos hab foun’ out whar we was gwine, an’ am beginnin’ to----”