“Huh! Guess you wouldn’t think it funny if you had about twenty-seven hornets after you!” grumbled the younger lad.
“Well, maybe you’ll get over playing jokes some day,” predicted Frank.
“I didn’t suppose it was going to turn out this way,” was the dubious answer.
“Well, come aboard now, and we’ll get under way,” said Frank, trying not to laugh.
A little later, under a spanking breeze, the Gull was standing out for Cliff Island, while the boys peered eagerly forward for the first sight of the bit of land in the big bay which might mean so much to them.
“Are you going to sail straight up to it?” asked Andy after they had covered several miles.
“Well, the best place to drop anchor is in that little inlet on the east side. To get to that we have to sail half way around the island, and I was thinking we might as well make a complete circuit.”
“Why?”
“Oh, we might see something of the man, or the boat, and that would give us a line on how to act. After we go around we can tie up in the inlet and row ashore. Then we can begin our search.”
“I guess that’s a good plan,” assented Andy. “Now I’ll go get some grub ready and by that time we may sight the island.”