"Quiet, boy!" ordered Jim; and the dog subsided, growling.
Percy experienced a peculiar shakiness; but he dressed with the others. Out here were no policemen or other officers to enforce the laws. Whatever was done they must do themselves.
Jim, his first excitement over, was cool as usual.
"All dressed, fellows?" he inquired, as calmly as if the pursuit of midnight thieves was a common incident.
Everybody was ready.
"Going to take the dog?" asked Throppy.
"No! Leave him here! He might bark when we didn't want him to."
"Here's the gun!" volunteered Lane.
"Don't want it! If we had it with us, we might lose our heads and shoot somebody. Whoever they are, they haven't the least idea there's any one on the island besides themselves. They've probably landed at the Sly Hole from some vessel that's approached the north shore since it came dark. Hungry for a little lamb or mutton! But those sheep have stood Uncle Tom a good many dollars and he can't afford to lose any of 'em. Where's that flash-light?"
"Here 'tis!" said Budge, passing him the electric lantern.