A moment later they heard the rustle and crackle of underbrush, as the man came towards them. From her hiding place, now some distance from the bags, Linda raised her head cautiously, and saw the thief retrieve the bags with a grab. Then he dashed back to the shore, circled the island on the harder sand, and reached the opposite shore, where the autogiro was standing.
"Why doesn't he come after us?" whispered Linda, in amazement.
"He will soon, I'm afraid," replied Dot hoarsely, clutching her revolver tightly. "But I'm going to shoot if he does!"
"So am I," answered Linda, calmly. "We've got the advantage—we're hidden."
Tensely they waited for five minutes—possibly ten; then something they had not thought of happened. The engine of the autogiro began to roar!
"They're stealing the Ladybug!" cried Linda, aghast at such a calamity. "Susie must be with him! Dot, we can't let them do that!"
Regardless of the danger, Linda jumped up excitedly, and rushed to a clearing, where she had a view of the shore. She was just in time to see her beloved autogiro taxi along the beach and rise into the air.
Dot dashed to her side, and the two girls stood together in helpless agony of spirit.
"Prisoners!" cried Dot, at last, dropping her useless revolver into the sand.
"Robinson Crusoes!" added Linda, bitterly. "No better off! No plane!"