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was forced to play the part of passenger, and nothing more was said on the subject, although both Harry and
Walter tried in vain many times afterward to coax him into the cabin at meal time.
It may be supposed that the boys had experienced so many trials on the sea that they simply looked forward to
being on land once more, surrounded by the comforts of home; but this was not so. The Lorlie was in every
respect a beautiful craft, and sailing in her was so different from what it had been on the brig that it seemed
almost like another kind of traveling. This, in connection with the fact that all mental troubles were banished,
served to make the short trip to Nassau most enjoyable.
It would be necessary for Mr. Vandyne to remain at this port two or three days in order to complete the
preparations for saving the Bonita's cargo; but no one thought of taking up quarters on shore when it was
possible to live so comfortably aboard the yacht.
And now a word is necessary to explain why Harry's father interested himself in this work, which at first
thought would seem too trifling to cause an extension of the cruise when Mrs. Vandyne and Mrs. Morse were
anxiously waiting to greet once more the sons whom they had mourned as dead. This explanation seems to be
the final link in the chain of mysterious or unaccountable occurrences which went to make up the career of the
runaway brig.
Mr. Vandyne owned one-third of the Bonita, and the first intimation he had of her abandonment was through
the newspaper article which apprised him of his son's safety; therefore his business in Nassau was concerning
the saving of his own property. It did seem remarkable, however, that Harry had been carried off by one of his
father's vessels which at the time was supposed to be half-way across the Atlantic.
"I am confident that Bob's theory as to the reason for her abandonment is the correct one," Mr. Vandyne said
shortly after leaving the key, when they were discussing the matter, "and my reason for the belief is founded
on a similar accident which happened to one of the first vessels I ever owned. She was bound to Genoa from
New Orleans, also with a cargo of alcohol. One day during moderately fine weather there was a sudden
explosion in the hold, which burst the tarpaulin and shattered the hatch. The captain saw dense volumes of
what he thought smoke, and ordered all hands to abandon ship. They did get into the boats, but before casting
off had the same experience you had, and the ship was saved. In the Bonita's case I have no doubt but that the
boats foundered shortly after the crew left, although possibly they were picked up by some outward-bound
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craft, and we shall hear from them later."
It was necessary for those who had been taken from the key to spend no small amount of time on shore giving
evidence concerning the loss of the brig, that there might be no delay regarding payment of the insurance; and
while attending to these matters they met an old acquaintance to whom they were deeply indebted.
This was none other than the captain of the schooner which had visited the island in search of the murderers,
and who gave the information leading to their rescue.
"I was jes' thinkin' I'd run across the shoals an' see how you was gettin' on," he said, after a hearty greeting;
"but I reckoned you had the steamer patched up before I got back from the States."
Joe related briefly their misadventures on the key, and also the particulars of the rescue, concluding by asking
if the red-nosed man and his companions had been captured.
"I'm mighty glad that what we did in Savannah brought your friends on. I'd been blamin' myself for not
stoppin' here when we come back; but as things turned out, a delay of two hours would 'a' given them villains
the chance of showin' us their heels."
"Then you caught 'em?" Bob asked eagerly.
"That's jes' what we did, an' no mistake, though it was a close shave. We was comin' down past Egg Key, with
a full breeze, when I saw a yawl edgin' inshore, like as if her crew wanted to get out of sight. None of us
expected that gang was aboard, knowin' as how they'd stole your brig; but I thought it wouldn't do any harm to
cut in between them and the land. Two hours later an' they'd 'a' been on the shoals, where we couldn't follow."
"Did they show fight?" Bob asked.
"They attempted to, but we was fixed for jes' sich a crowd. When we hove-to not fifty yards off, an' showed
the muzzles of half a dozen rifles, every one of 'em quieted down like lambs. We clapped irons on the gang,
an' next day they were here in jail. It was hard work to prove the murder on 'em, although everybody knew
they did it. They were sentenced yesterday to twenty years' imprisonment, an' us who live around here feel a
good deal more easy in mind, because it wasn't safe for a man to travel very far alone while they were free."
Then the captain insisted on the boys going with him to the coral-reefs, where the spongers were at work, and
a very pleasant afternoon did they spend.
There were to be seen, by aid of a glass, sponges of all varieties, from the "sheep's wool" and "velvet" to the
bright scarlet "gloves," which grow in the shape of huge hands, and owe their peculiar color to the insects
which build them. Reef-sponges, yet covered with their manufacturers and black as a coal; wire sponges, and
gray ones, fashioned in the form of a cup; sponges of all shapes and hues, until the shoal looked like a garden
of brilliantly-colored flowers which had been suddenly inundated.
The boys collected a huge store of curious things, among which was no small amount of purple and yellow
fans, stars and trees of coral, which is so much more beautiful when living, and in the sea, than the dried
specimens we see on land.
The day's pleasuring was brought to a close by a visit to the sponge-yard, where the Captain's guests learned
very much about this branch of industry, which in the Bahamas alone gives employment to several thousand
persons and five or six hundred vessels.
It was very like a revelation to them when the hospitable Captain explained that there were several grades of
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each variety of sheep-wool, white-reef, dark-reef, abaco, velvet, grass, boat, hard-head, yellow and glove
sponges, all worth from five to ten cents per pound by the quantity; and, also, that when first taken from the
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