"I don't know what to make of it," answered Joe, in a whisper. "I hardly think they are tramps."
"I think I have heard their voices before."
"Will you keep still?" roared one of the captors, and he hit each a light blow with his club.
"What are you going to do with us?" asked Joe, as bravely as he could.
This question was not answered, and for half an hour the two boys were compelled to stand where they were, without saying a word to each other. At the end of that time a low whistle came from up the lake, which one of the masked fellows immediately answered.
"Now move on!" he commanded, and the whole party pushed through the brushwood to the water's edge. Here a sloop was in waiting, with the other masked person in command.
"Get on board, and be quick about it," was the next order received. And when the two lads hesitated they were pushed in such a fashion that each came near going into the lake. Seeing there was no help for it, and that they would be roundly abused if they attempted to thwart the plans of their captors, they boarded the sloop. The mainsail was at once hoisted, and the sloop stood up the lake.
The fellow who had brought the sloop in evidently knew how to handle such a craft and soon the boat was making the best possible use of the wind. The course was directly towards Pine Island, and Joe and Fred rightfully guessed that they were bound for that location.
As soon as the craft got within a reasonable distance of the island those with masks became extremely cautious, and they did not attempt to make a landing until they were certain nobody was near. Then the sloop was run into a cove, and the prisoners were forced to go ashore without delay.
"Now march!" was the next order issued to them.