times.

While this was going on Teddy whispered to Neal:

"It begins to look as if the sailors who were drowned in the surf were
more fortunate than the rest of us. They died quickly, and we shall
probably find out what it means to be tortured."

"Don't speak of such horrible things, Teddy. We are not captured yet,
and there is no sense in looking trouble in the face."

"It can't be helped sometimes. I've had enough of adventures, and if we
do live to escape from this place all the gold in the world wouldn't
tempt me to get into another such scrape."

CHAPTER XV.

A RETREAT.

Cummings and Poyor talked together fully half an hour before the former
volunteered any further information to his white companions, and then he
said:

"It would be useless for me to disguise the truth in any particular, for
it is important all should know the absolute facts of the situation. In
laying my plans for this expedition the only contingency for which I did
not prepare, was exactly what has happened. I never believed there were
so many sentinels in the swamp that the boat would be discovered, and
when we came through without seeing a single one, I felt perfectly safe
on that score."

"Isn't it possible the Indians will think it is a craft belonging to
some of their own people?" Neal asked.

"There is no hope of that. She is entirely different in build, and you
must remember that we left a number of things on board. Those who found
her came directly to the city, and orders have been given by the chief
men that the swamp be searched thoroughly. There is no longer any
possibility that we could go through without being discovered."

"Then we've got no chance of escaping," Jake cried passionately, and
Cummings replied calmly:

"Who says we haven't? the coast line, where no one would think of
looking for an enemy, is still open, and what prevents us from trying to
make our way in that direction?"

"Then you have given up all hope of carrying away any treasure?"

"Under the circumstances I shall be well pleased if we succeed in
getting away alive. We are now in a position where nothing save escape
must be thought of, and I am the one who has placed you three in such a
dangerous situation. Shut your eyes to the fact that so much treasure
might be gained, and bend all your energies to leaving this section of
the country. As compared with life gold amounts to very little."

"Then we are to say that the attempt has been a