carrying on a very earnest
conversation, and Jack heard a little of it as he came forward, and then
suddenly stopped, fearing that he might be intruding.

"We are on the bottom, sir, and I don't know how long we may be there,"
said Captain Storms. "The next high tide may raise us, and it may not. It
is my opinion that we have been on the bottom ever since we came into the
bay, and how we are going to lighten her I don't know."

"But there are no holes, we have opened no seams, we have not taken in any
water?" asked the doctor, looking fixedly at the captain through his big
black-rimmed spectacles.

"No, there are no open seams and no water. The bottom is sandy, too, I
think, and not the sharp coral rock you find in these parts that will cut
a hole in anything that touches it. No, it is simply a case of too little
water to float us, but that, as I may say, may be remedied. Time will
tell."

"Then you do not think there is any cause for alarm, sir?"

"Not any great amount, no, sir. The moon is not quite full, although it
looked so last night, and when it fills we may get higher water. We can
tell to-night. Meanwhile, there are the boats, and your young gentlemen
may go on shore and explore the island. I don't think there are any people
on it, as it seems very small. Many of the islands hereabouts have no one
on them."

"You don't know which one it is as yet?"

"No, I don't."

The doctor walked forward, and looked over the rail, and Jack went up to
Bucephalus, and the old sailor and said:

"You don't know where we are, either of you, I suppose?"

"Ah haven't de remotest ideah, sah," replied the negro, "an' far as Ah can
make o't dis gentleman am in de same predicament. He says we am in de
tropics at a island ob not werry big size an' importance, but Ah was aware
of dese fac's mahself befo' Ah interrogated him, sah, so dat Ah am no
furder dan Ah was befo', sah."

"This here is an island in the Spanish Main, the place where the old
pirates and buccaneers used to roam," said the old sailor whose name Jack
learned later was Ben Bowline, "and that's all I know about it. You didn't
come lookin' fur Cap'n Kidd's treasure, did you?"

"No, we did not, and I don't believe we would find it if we had. Men are
foolish that go looking for such things. I don't believe that Captain Kidd
buried the hundredth part of the gold that he is reputed to have buried. I
have other things to do besides looking for buried gold."

"Yo