"Shoot him!" panted the hot-blooded Virginian. "Get a rifle! I will put a bullet through the villain!"
Although hot-blooded and reckless himself Bart realized that Diamond must not do anything of the kind. But he did not find it necessary to reason with Jack, for the two men turned and disappeared into the woods.
"They're gone!" exclaimed the Virginian, regretfully.
"But they may come back again. We must keep a close watch to-night. There is no telling what desperate deed they may attempt."
So the night was divided into watches, and each lad took his turn on deck.
The sky became overcast, so there was little light. The black shadow of the shore seemed potent with dangers.
Bart had his second watch on deck, and it was not far from midnight when he was startled to hear a voice hailing from the shore:
"Ahoy, the yacht!"
"What do you want?" asked Bart, gripping a revolver and staring toward the point from which the voice had seemed to come. "Who are you?"