AN OPPORTUNE ARRIVAL.

Each member of the party, with the exception of Chloe, was doing his or her best to appear cheerful during the time they were preparing and eating breakfast, and the result naturally was that the enforced gayety gave no signs of mirth. It is barely possible Gertie did not have any dismal forebodings regarding the future, but the others realized fully the sufferings they might be called upon to bear, though all were careful to avoid any word which would lead the conversation into this very unpleasant channel.

Chloe discussed with Jake the question of how an oven, which would serve every purpose of a stove, could be built, and Ben carried on a conversation with Gertie regarding the cat, until the meal was finished, when the former cook of the Sea Queen beckoned for Ben to follow him as he said carelessly:

“We’ll look around the island a bit, an’ in the course of an hour or so come back here to build the oven for aunty. There ain’t any need of hurryin’ very much for we’ve got more time than we know what to do with.”

Ben understood that this proposition to explore the key was only made in order to give them an opportunity of discussing the situation, and he walked on in silence until they were at the extreme end of the reef, when he asked:

“How long will our provisions last, Jake?”

“A good while longer than the water, I reckon,” was the reply in a tone of despair. “We could manage to catch some fish, with now an’ then a turtle to help out on; but we’ve got to keep drinkin’ all the time, an’ where’s the water comin’ from? Our five gallons may see us through a couple of days, countin’ what we’ve used already, an’ then what’ll we do?”

“It may rain before we’ll have to answer the question,” Ben suggested; but at the same time he knew that such good fortune was hardly within the range of possibilities.

“You might jest as well say perhaps the yacht will drift back here, for neither of them chances is likely to turn up,” and Jake spoke very sharply, as if he believed his companion was treating a serious problem with too much levity.

“I only said _perhaps_ it might rain. Of course we wouldn’t expect to find water by digging into a coral reef, an’ when what’s in the breaker gives out we’ll go thirsty unless some vessel comes this way.”

“That’s the very thing,” Jake said quickly as if this was the point to which he had been trying to bring the conversation. “Captain Irwin won’t hunt for us until after two weeks at the very least, ’cause if we don’t show up in Key West he’ll think we’re all right, an’ the only hope we’ve got is that a craft of some kind will heave in sight.”

“Would you go back to Key West an’ run the chance of Dr. Harlan’s seein’ Gertie?”

“It’ll be better to do that than die from thirst,” was the quick reply; “but we needn’t take them risks. One of us might go there, see the captain, an’ then come back for the others, for of course a little water could be got from whatever craft we hailed to keep them as was left behind from suffering.”

“You know I’m ready to agree to anything which promises to get us out of the trouble,” Ben said when Jake paused as if for an answer; “but we must wait till a vessel comes along.”

“That’s a fact, and between whiles it’s our business to rig up somethin’ that’ll answer for a signal of distress, after which we’ll take turns at standin’ watch. We want a piece of white cloth, an’ I reckon it won’t do any harm to tear a strip from one of the tents.”

“Perhaps Chloe has got some; she bought a lot of things for Gertie jest before we come away.”

“Go an’ see, while I’m lookin’ for somethin’ that’ll serve as a flag-staff.”

Ben went toward the tents, which were completely hidden from the view of those on the westerly end of the key by the trees, and on arriving there found Gertie and Chloe busily engaged in the household duties as if nothing had occurred to cause them any distress of mind. The old woman was evidently making ready the new wardrobe she had purchased for the child, for a quantity of material, as well as a number of outside garments, lay on the sand just inside the tent.

“That’s the very thing I want, aunty,” Ben said as he pointed to a roll of cotton cloth. “Will you give me two or three yards?”

“Spects I’ll hab ter, honey; but don’ go cuttin’ up any monkey shines wid it, kase I paid ten cents for ebery yard.”

Ben did not explain for what purpose he intended to use the cloth; but, cutting off as much as he believed would be necessary for a signal, hurried away before any questions could be asked.

Jake’s portion of the work was the most difficult, owing to the lack of material, and he had done hardly more than settle upon a definite plan when Ben returned.

“I’m goin’ to hunt among the mangroves for the longest straight branch that can be found. You get a big pile of wood together while I’m gone, an’ then our signal of distress will be finished. If we’re lucky enough to sight a vessel anywhere near the key we ought to be able to attract attention by sending up a lot of smoke an’ wavin’ a white flag at the same time.”

It was nearly noon before these preparations were completed. The cotton cloth hung from a pole about ten feet long, and near by was a stack of wood as high as Ben’s head, with a lot of shavings at the base by which a quick fire could be kindled.

“If I hadn’t been sich a fool we wouldn’t have to do anything like this,” Jake said in a petulant tone as the two went toward the tents for dinner. “We could be takin’ our ease with a trim little craft anchored close by, an’ this trip wouldn’t seem anything more’n a bit of pleasurin’. Now we’ve lost the boat, which cost an hundred dollars, an’ still it’ll be nothin’ but a big piece of luck if we get away without knowin’ what it means to be mighty thirsty.”

“Is there any chance that vessels will come this way? The water is so shoal that a very big one couldn’t get within five miles.”

“The sponge-fishers use light-draught craft, an’ some of ’em must cruise near about. If we could hail one it oughter be an easy matter to buy some water, an’ a passage for you or I to Key West. I reckon you brought the money?”

“It’s all in the tent except what I gave you an’ Aunt Chloe,” Ben replied, and then he relapsed into silence as he wondered how much of his father’s little hoard would be left when he finally succeeded in reaching New York.

Dinner was ready when the two arrived at the canvas dwelling, and despite Gertie’s attempts to cheer her companions, but little merriment was indulged in during the meal. Even Chloe had begun to feel depressed, for while making tea she discovered how limited was the supply of water, and it seemed almost a relief to Ben when Jake said, as he concluded a not very hearty meal:

“If I have been the dumbest kind of a fool in some things, I managed to buy a couple of fish-lines an’ hooks, an’ we’ll see what can be done this afternoon toward splicin’ out the provisions. I reckon we can catch some red snappers over on the west side where we’ve been workin’.”

After cutting a slice of raw pork for bait, he set out with Ben, saying when they were at such a distance from the tents that his words could not be overheard:

“We’ve got to stand watch, lad, an’ we might as well have a little business on hand to make the time pass quicker.”

But fishing was work rather than amusement while they were so troubled regarding the future, and the hours dragged along quite as wearily as if nothing had been done save gaze over the mirror-like water in the vain hope of seeing a sail. When the sun sunk behind the reefs not so much as a sleeping turtle had been seen, but the time was not absolutely wasted, for five small red snappers were shown as the result of seven hours’ labor.

“’Pears to me like dey was too small to cook,” old Chloe said doubtfully, as Ben laid the fish in front of her with the request that they be served up for supper. “I’se powerful fond ob snappers, but dem ain’t much more’n bones.”

“They must weigh about a pound apiece, an’ I reckon they’ll turn out great for pan-fish, but if you don’t want to fry ’em on account of the size, why I’ll have to try my hand at it.”

As he spoke Jake begun to make ready for the work, and Chloe, jealous lest her privileges as cook should be encroached upon, cried angrily:

“G’way frum dere. Day’ll be spiled suah ef you meddles wid ’em. I’se gwine ter git right ter work, an’ when I’se frou you kin mess wid de bones ef you’se achin’ ter show how sailors hab to live. It makes my ole head snap ter see men folks foolin’ roun’ ’splainin’ what great cooks dey is.”

“All right, aunty, have it your own way an’ you’ll live the longer. I wouldn’t a’ said a word only I thought you didn’t want to bother with ’em. Ben an’ me have got plenty to do gatherin’ fire-wood.”

Old Chloe made no reply, but begun bustling around as if all her strength and energies were necessary in the proper preparation of the fish, and finding that she could be of no assistance in preparing the evening meal, Gertie joined the others in the work of collecting fuel.

The party were thus busily engaged, and at least two had begun to build hopes of sighting some passing craft next day, when all were absolutely dazed with fear by hearing a cry from the water, apparently not more than an hundred yards away:

“Halloo! on the key!”

It was nearly a minute before Jake gathered his scattered senses sufficiently to reply, and then he shouted at the full strength of his lungs:

“Boat ahoy! ahoy!”

“Well, we can hear without so much noise,” was the reply in an ordinary tone of voice. “What are you doing on shore?”

Again was Jake dilatory about answering, for that question caused both him and Ben to fear that the strangers might have been sent by Dr. Harlan--perhaps the quack himself was in the boat.

“We’re out here for a little sport,” Ben replied after waiting so long that it seemed certain suspicious had been aroused if the strangers were in search of them. “Are you coming ashore?”

“Yes, we may as well stretch our legs a bit, I suppose,” the voice replied, and the rattle of cordage told that a sail was being lowered. “Stand by to take our line, will you?”

“All right,” Ben shouted, and then he whispered to Gertie: “Run back to the tents, hide the clothes so these men won’t know there are any women about, then take the kitten and go way over on the other side of the key. They may be spies your step-father has sent, an’ you must keep out of sight.”

The mention of the man whom she feared so much was sufficient to make Gertie move very quickly, and Ben had hardly ceased speaking before she was running toward the fire at full speed.

Jake went at once to the very edge of the water, understanding now what a mistake he had possibly made in not answering the question the instant it was asked, and when Ben joined him was pulling in on a light heaving-line.

Slowly the strange craft was hauled out of the gloom until it could be seen that she was a single-masted boat about the same size of the one which had gone adrift, and Jake asked of the man who stood in the bow:

“Which way have you come from, stranger?”

“We’ve been in Barnes’ Sound for the last two or three weeks.”

“Didn’t see anything of a stray boat, did you?”

“No; have you lost one?”

“Yes; ours went adrift last night, an’ we’re shut up on this key without any too much provisions or water. Where are you bound?”

“To Key West. If you are thirsty we can spare you something to drink, for I suppose we must be pretty near the town?”

“It ain’t more’n ten miles south of here.”

The strangers had come ashore by this time, and, to his great relief, Ben saw that they were two young men evidently bent on sport rather than such business as Dr. Harlan’s.

A short conversation showed them to be from the North on a fishing and hunting excursion, and both Ben and Jake felt that fortune or chance, whichever it might be, had been very kind in sending them at such a time. Having come from the sound, while the anxious ones were keeping watch on the west side of the key, it was impossible to sight her before dark, which was sufficient explanation of what at first seemed like a mysterious arrival, and with not a fear now that the strangers might be hunting for Gertie, the ex-cook lost no time in making arrangements for a passage to Key West.

“What’ll you take to let one of us go on with you?” he cried. “We’ve got to buy another boat, an’ don’t want to break up here yet awhile.”

“You’re welcome to a passage if you’ll do your share of the work,” one of the men replied heartily. “Take a breaker of water ashore now, and that portion of the trouble will be ended.”

As may be supposed, Jake and Ben worked with a will at this task, and when the contents of the cask had been emptied into the one which was buried, the strangers approached the camp-fire.

“Take hold an’ have supper with us,” Jake said as he removed the decidedly overdone fish from the coals, and in a few moments all four were busily engaged, the new-comers evidently having no suspicion that there was any one else on the key.

“When are you going to start?” Jake asked, after his guests had eaten a hearty meal, despite the diminutive size of the fish.

“I suppose we may as well take advantage of the night wind, for it’s coming in pretty fresh just now, and we ought to be there before bed-time. Which of you will go? We can carry both as well as not.”

“I’ll stay here,” Ben said decidedly. “Jake can bring the boat back better than I, so he’s the one to do the business.”

“Come on, then,” one of the strangers said as he led the way toward the boat, and Jake lingered behind only long enough for Ben to bring some money from the tent.