Harper's Young People, June 7, 1881 / An Illustrated Weekly

THE DEFEAT OF THE RIVER PIRATES.—Drawn by J. O. Davidson.
Author of The Moral Pirates, etc.
The sound of oars could be distinctly heard, and the boys listened breathlessly. The night was so dark that they could see but a little distance from their own vessel, and could only judge of the distance of the invisible row-boat, and the direction in which it was moving, by the sound. As they stood shivering in the cold mist, expecting every moment to be attacked by thieves, they could not be said to be enjoying themselves. They would have given a great deal to have been safe at home and in their warm beds. As they afterward acknowledged, they were a good deal frightened; and there are few men who, in the same circumstances, would not have felt that they were in a very awkward situation.

You tell us what to do, whispered Tom to the Captain, and we'll do it.
If they come, we've got to fight, answered Charley; for if we were to let them take our boat, we'd starve to death out here in the marshes.
The sound of the oars came nearer and nearer, and presently the boys caught a glimpse of a boat gliding through the water only a few rods away.
Perhaps they won't see us, Harry whispered in Charley's ear.
At this moment the oars stopped, and a voice said, Thar's that yacht belonging to them boys that I was telling you I see this mornin' down by Rockaway. Somebody must have piloted 'em, or they couldn't have got through the islands.
Oh, go on, replied another voice. We won't get to Amityville in half an hour if you stop to talk.