“Are you going right up close?” asked Bob. “Maybe we had better wait a while.”
“Keep quiet,” said Jerry. “Just watch.”
The Dartaway continued to approach the schooner. In the stern Bob and Ned pretended to be trolling. Jerry held the motor craft on her course, going at first speed, and kept her headed right for the sailing vessel.
“You’re going to bump!” exclaimed Bob in a low tone, looking over his shoulder at Jerry.
The next instant the Dartaway hit the side of the schooner with a resounding thump, but not hard enough to do any damage, as Jerry, on the alert, reversed the screw just in time.
“I told you we were going to hit,” said Bob in reproachful accents, for he had nearly been tossed overboard by the recoil when the motor boat backed away from the Bluebird from the force of the blow.
“That’s all right I meant to hit ’em,” said Jerry coolly, as he caught hold of a rope that hung over the schooner’s side. “I did it on purpose,” he went on in a lower voice. “It will seem as if it was an accident and we can get a chance to see who’s aboard. That knock ought to bring ’em out.”
The boys, making the motor boat fast to the sailing vessel with the rope, waited for a hail from those they supposed to be aboard. But a silence ensued after the noise of the collision and the throbbing of the motor died away. All that could be heard was the sound of the wind in the trees, birds singing in the woods, and the lap of little waves against the sides of the boats.
“Queer,” muttered Jerry, “I thought that would arouse them. Must be sound asleep. Here goes for another.”
He pushed the Dartaway back from the side of the schooner and then, holding to the rope pulled her forward again so that the nose of the motor craft hit the sailing vessel a resounding blow. Still there was silence on the Bluebird.