all of us to go?" asked Jerry.

"Do you think any one wants to remain behind?" asked the party addressed.

"Speaking for myself, nothing could induce me to stay," came the reply.

"So say we all of us," declared Bluff, who had overheard the question.

"Besides, I think it wise that we stick together. If anything should
happen that we couldn't come back here, it wouldn't matter much. You see,
we've been able to tumble most of our stuff aboard in a scramble. It can
be straightened out as we go. All ready, Jerry?" questioned Frank, as the
other gave a shout.

"All ready! Get aboard, and start her. It's light enough to see, now. Oh!
I only hope we can find the professor!" cried Jerry as he embarked.

"If Fortune is kind, we must, boys. Now we're off!"

With these words, firmly spoken, Frank opened up, and the power-boat
began to move through the water. Fortunately, it was deep in this
shelter, so that they could make decent speed from the beginning. Had
they anchored in such a shallow bayou as their last stopping place, it
must have taken an hour to get clear of the various oyster bars, running
out in finger-like ridges from the shore.

Presently they cleared the point of land marking the upper end of the
sheltering key, and the limitless gulf lay before them.

Morning was now rapidly advancing. The far eastern heavens had begun to
take on a beautiful rosy flush, such as can be seen in no place in the
wide world to better advantage than in Florida, of a winter's morning.

Every eye was instantly engaged in scouring that expanse of water,
searching eagerly for a sign of the castaway balloonists. Frank even had
his marine glasses leveled, and, first of all, scanned the horizon,
hoping that possibly the air craft might have been able to keep afloat
thus far through strenuous methods known to such a veteran sky pilot as
the professor.

He was disappointed, however, for the only things that met his gaze were
a few white gulls.

"What's that floating on the water over yonder, Frank?" demanded
sharp-eyed Will, pointing down the coast a little.

A thrill passed through every heart. Had the lost air voyagers been
sighted, and would they be rescued, after all?

Frank had his glasses focussed upon the object almost instantly.

"Too bad, fellows! Only a bunch of brown pelicans floating on the sea and
waiting until breakfast time comes around," he said at once.

A chorus of remarks indicative of disappointment followed