“Do you think the child awakened and struck a match?” again whispered Rutley.
“No; no matches within her reach. Perhaps Virginia has come. Hello! A strange boat here.”
“The light moves,” continued Rutley, in a whisper.
“I will get out here,” whispered Jack, and he sprang out of the boat quietly onto the platform. “Take the boat to the other end of the cabin.”
As he opened the door, the profile of the women and child appeared, dimly outlined by the match light held in Virginia’s hand.
As she staggered back, surprised and terrified, for the moment, Jack pushed his way in, closed the door, bolted and locked it, and put the key in his pocket. Then he struck a match and lighted the lamp.
“Virginia drew back with a slight terrified exclamation, ‘Oh!’ Jack Shore stood in the doorway.”
After surveying the group, he gruffly laughed.
“Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, Signora make a da bold a break in a da house, eh? Ha, ha, ha, ha. Eesa try tak a Daize from a da nicey home, eh? Ha, ha, ha, ha.”