The Young Marooners on the Florida Coast Read online

  CHAPTER XI

  DISCUSSION OF PLANS--DOUBTS--DIFFERENCES OF OPINION--WHAT WAS AGREEDUPON--BAKING A TURKEY WITHOUT AN OVEN--FLYING SIGNAL

  "Really this is a fine country!" said Robert, referring, with the air ofa feasted epicure, to the abundant marooning dinner from which he hadrisen. "Wild turkey, squirrel, and oysters! I doubt whether our oldfriend Robinson Crusoe himself fared better than we."

  "It is a fine place indeed," Harold replied; "and so long as our powderand shot last, we might live like princes. But, Robert," he continued,"it is time that we begin to determine our plan of operations. Whatshall we do?"

  "Do!" echoed Robert, "why return home as soon as possible. What elsehave we to do?"

  "To determine how we are to return and in what direction."

  "Then I say," Robert replied, "the same way that we came, only a littlenearer shore."

  "But who can tell me the course?" Harold asked.

  "Yonder," replied Frank, pointing to the sea.

  "No, buddy," said Robert, "that is only our _last_ course; we came infrom sea. Home is yonder," pointing nearly north.

  "Now, I think you are both wrong," said Harold, "for according to myjudgment home is yonder," pointing nearly east. "At least, I recollectthat when I was working at the chain the sun was behind us, for myshadow fell in the water, and I do not recollect that we have changedour course since. So far as I know we started west, and kept west."

  "That would have carried us into the open gulf," returned Robert.

  "And that is exactly where I think we are," Harold affirmed.

  "But there are no islands in the gulf," argued Robert, "nor land either,after you leave Tampa, until you reach Mexico. And we are surely not inMexico."

  "I do not know where we are," said his cousin. "I only know that weleft home with our faces to the west, and that the water kept boilingunder our bow for ten long hours. How fast we went, or what land wehave reached, I know no more than Frank does."

  "But we saw islands and points of land to our left," Robert insisted;"it is _impossible_ for us to be in the gulf."

  "Then where do you suppose we are!"

  "On the coast of Florida, to the south of Tampa. There is no other placewithin reach, answering the description."

  "But how do you know we are not on some island?"

  "We may be on an island; but if so, it is still on the Florida coast,"Robert replied, "for there are no islands beside these, nearer than theWest Indies, and we are surely not on any of them."

  Harold shook his head. "I cannot answer your reasoning, for you are abetter scholar than I. We may be where you suppose; and I confess thatwithout your superior knowledge of geography I should never haveconceived it; but still my impression is, that neither of us know wellenough where we are to warrant our going far from land. A voyage in anopen boat upon a rough sea is no trifle. I am afraid of it. Put me onland, and I will promise to do as much as any other boy of my age; butput me on sea, out of sight of land, and I am a coward, because I knowneither where I am, nor what to do."

  "But what shall we do?" Robert inquired; "we cannot stay here for ever."

  "No; but we can remain here, or somewhere else as safe, until we betterunderstand our case," answered Harold. "And who knows but in themeantime some vessel may pass and take us home. One passed onyesterday."

  Robert mused awhile, and replied, "I believe you are right as to thepropriety of our waiting. Father will certainly set all hands to workto search for us. The vessel we saw yesterday will no doubt carry to himthe news of their seeing us going in a certain direction at a certaintime. He will be sure to search for us somewhere in this neighbourhood;and we had better on that account not move far away."

  Mary and Frank were attentive, though silent listeners to this colloquy.Mary's colour went and came with every variation in their prospect of animmediate return. She was anxious, principally, on her father's account.Her affectionate heart mourned over the distress which she knew he mustthen be feeling; but when she came to reflect on the uncertainty oftheir position, and the danger of a voyage, and also that her father hadprobably ere this heard of them through the cutter, she was satisfied toremain. Poor Frank cried bitterly, when he first learnt that they werenot to return immediately; but his cheerful nature soon rebounded, and afew words of comfort and hope were sufficient to make him picture tohimself a beautiful vessel, with his father on board, sailing into theirquiet river, and come for the purpose of taking them all home.

  "Before we conclude on remaining _here_," said Harold. "I think it willbe best for us to sail around the island, if it is one, and see whatsort of a place it is."

  This precaution was so just that it received their immediate assent.They fixed upon the next morning as the time for their departure; andnot knowing how far they should go, or how long they might stay, theyconcluded to take with them all that they had.

  "But," inquired Mary, "what shall we do with our large fat turkey?" (apart of it only having been prepared for the table); "shall we cook ithere, or carry it raw?"

  "Let us cook it here," said Harold; "I will show you how to bake it,Indian fashion, without an oven."

  Among the articles put up by William were a spade and a hoe. With theseHarold dug a hole in the dryest part of the beach; and, at his request,Robert took Mary and Frank to the tree above, and brought down a supplyof small wood. The hole was two and a-half feet deep and long, and afoot and a-half wide, looking very much like a baby's grave. Franklooked archly at his cousin, and asked if he was going to have a_funeral_, now that he had a grave. "Yes," replied Harold, "a merryone." The wood was cut quite short, and the hole was heaped full; andthe pile being set to burning at the top, Harold said,

  "There is another little piece of work to be done, which did not occurto me until digging that hole. It is to set up a signal on the beach toattract attention from sea."

  "I wonder we did not think of that before," remarked Robert. "It wouldcertainly have been an unpardonable oversight to have left the coast, aswe expect to do tomorrow, without leaving something to show that we arehere, or in the neighbourhood."

  The boys went to the grove, and cutting a long straight pole, brought itto the tent, and made fast to it the sheet which before had served themas a signal; after which the company went together to the sea shore, andplanted the signal under the bluff, so that it could be distinctly seenfrom sea, but would be hidden from the land. This place was selectedfor the same reason that induced Harold to build his fire under thebluff--to avoid hostile observation. The young people looked up sadlyyet hopefully to this silent watchman, which was to tell their comingfriends that they were expected; and with many an unuttered wish turnedtheir faces towards the tent.

  The company went together to the sea shore and plantedthe signal]

  The fire in the oven had by this time burnt down, but by reason of thedampness of the earth the hole was not hot enough. Another supply ofwood was put in, and while it was burning our young marooners went tothe oyster bank for another supply of oysters, then to the spring forwater, and to the tree for wood. The labours of life were coming uponthem.

  A sufficient heat having been produced by the second fire, Haroldrequested Robert to clear the hole of all ashes, smoking brands, andunburnt bits of wood, while he went once more to the grove. He returnedwith a clean white stick, about a yard long, which he used as a spit forthe turkey, resting the two ends in holes made at each end of the oven.

  It was now nearly dark. The little company stood around the heatedhole, admiring the simple contrivance by which their wild turkey was tobe so nicely cooked, when, to the surprise of every one, Mary burst intoa hearty laugh. Harold asked what she meant.

  "I was thinking," she replied, almost choking with laughter, "how funnyit will be tomorrow morning when you visit your grave, and come to takeout your nice baked turkey, to find that the dogs had been to thefuneral before you."

  "That is a fact," said Harold, am
used at the conceit. "I did not thinkof the dogs. But do you all come with me again for a few minutes, and Iwill make the oven secure from that danger also."

  He led the way up the bluff, hatchet in hand, and loaded all with smallpoles and palmetto leaves. The poles were laid across the oven, and thepalmetto leaves spread thickly above the poles. "I had forgotten thispart of the ceremony," said Harold. "But this cover is put on not somuch to keep the dogs out as to keep the heat in. I will show you atbed time a surer way to manage them."

  "O, you will tie them up, hey?" asked Harry.

  "Surely," he replied, "that is the cheapest way to keep dogs frommischief."

  Buried almost hermetically in its heated cell, the turkey seasoned totheir taste, was left to its fate for the night.