“We ought to disguise ourselves,” went on Ned. “If we go hunting for the schooner in our motor boat the way we are now, they can see us coming and get on their guard. We ought to make up as fishermen, just as the tramp did, and steam around slowly.”
“They know the boat by this time,” objected Jerry.
“We can disguise her a bit by hanging strips of canvas over the sides,” went on Ned, “and by taking the canopy off.”
“I believe that’s a good suggestion,” said Jerry. “Then we could take the thieves by surprise. Come on, we’ll see what we can do to the boat.”
By removing the awning, and putting strips of dirty canvas over the bright clean paint on the sides of the Dartaway the whole appearance of the craft was changed.
“Now for ourselves,” said Bob. “We’ll wear our oldest clothes.”
If the boys hoped to succeed with little effort they were doomed to disappointment. They spent all the morning cruising around the lake and did not get a glimpse of the craft they wanted. They did not go back to camp for lunch, having brought some eatables with them. In the afternoon the cruise was resumed, but with no better luck.
For three days the boys went forth every morning disguised as fishermen, and came back at night having had their trouble for their pains.
“This is getting tiresome,” said Ned, on the evening of the third day. “We’re having no fun out of this trip at all. Let’s let the thieves go. I don’t believe they have any stuff on the boat.”
“Let’s try one more day,” pleaded Jerry. “We’ll go away down to the other end of the lake.”