and Cummings
said emphatically:

"Then it will be necessary for you to go alone; I've been there once
with you, and it was only by the rarest good fortune that we succeeded
in coming away alive, therefore I'm not disposed to try the same
dangerous experiment again."

"I suppose you think I would make a fool of myself once more?"

"I am positive of it. When your opinion chanced to be at variance with
ours you would go straight on without giving the slightest heed to the
consequences. It is best for you to stay with the boys."

Jake had nothing more to say; but later in the day he told Neal and
Teddy privately that he believed he would venture into the swamp alone.

"I could do it as well as Poyor can. They want to make out that it is a
very dangerous venture."

"You thought the same on the night when that beautiful scar was
presented, and also when you wandered away from the cave, unable to find
your way back," Neal replied with a laugh.

Then Jake had a desperate fit of the sulks from which he did not recover
until the schooner was standing up the coast under the influence of the
strong night breeze.

The voyage to Progresso from this time on occupied but a few hours. The
clumsy looking vessel proved to be a good sailor, and on the following
afternoon she had dropped anchor in the harbor, twenty-four hours before
the next steamer was advertised to leave.

There was yet plenty of chance to bid good-by to those who intended to
remain behind, and the last moments were spent together rather than
visit the quaint town, for no one could say whether they would meet
again.

Jake made no further preparation to join the treasure seekers, and Neal
felt positive that if they had allowed him to make one of the party his
courage would have failed him at the last minute.

Not until a late hour in the night was there any attempt to break up the
gathering. Each felt a certain repugnance to so doing, and if Mr. Emery
had not finally insisted on retiring all might have remained under the
awning until morning.

"It is good-by as well as good-night," Cummings said as he arose. "We do
not care to stay here very long for fear some of the Chan Santa Cruz may
recognize us, and by daybreak I propose to be on our way to Merida, from
which point we shall return to the hut where we first saw the
castaways."

"We can at least count on hearing from you," Mr. Emery said. "The boys
will be eager to learn how your venture succeeded."