At first it was hard work to budge the sloop, but once she was started it was an easy matter to haul her down the creek to the lake. Then all went aboard, tying their rowboat on behind. The mainsail was hoisted, and with a fair breeze they were soon bowling merrily over the lake in the direction of Lakeport.
"We didn't get quite as many fish as we expected," said Bart. "But we got a haul all right, didn't we?"
"Won't Marcy be mad when he hears that his sloop is gone," said Fred. "That is, if it really was Marcy."
"I am pretty certain it was Marcy," answered Joe. "Still, I shouldn't like to go into court to prove it."
As they sailed down the lake they looked the Sprite over carefully to see if the thief had left any trace of himself on board. But all they could find was a corn-cob pipe and a half paper of smoking tobacco, along with the crumbs and leavings of several meals.
"Nothing here," said Joe.
Their coming back to Lakeport in a sloop when they had gone out in a rowboat caused a mild flutter of excitement down at the docks and this was increased when it was learned that the missing Sprite had been found. A boy was at once despatched to tell Mr. Shale the news, and presently he appeared, followed by his nephew.
"This is great!" cried Paul, as he rushed on board.
"Where did you find the craft?" questioned Mr. Shale.
Their story was soon told, to which quite a gathering listened. But it was only to the gentleman himself and to Paul that they confided their suspicion that Dan Marcy had been the one to take the sloop.