beautiful colors, while their parents remained seated in the shade
of the palms.

"Wouldn't it be gay if we could stay here always?" said Mark.

"No," answered the more practical Ruth; "I don't think it would be
at all. I would rather be where there are people and houses;
besides, I heard father say that these little islands are often
entirely covered with water during great storms, and I'm sure I
wouldn't want to be here then."

It was nearly sunset when they returned to the schooner, with
their boat well loaded with the shells and other curiosities that
the children had gathered.

At high tide that night the strain on the cables proved sufficient
to move the stranded ship, and, foot by foot, she was pulled off
into deep water, much to the joy of Captain Gillis and those who
had worked with him.

The next morning the entire fleet--ship, schooner, and wrecking
boats--set sail for Key West, which port they reached during the
afternoon, and where they found they would be obliged to spend a
week or more while an Admiralty Court settled the claims for
salvage.