“We know all we wish to know,” said Andy. “You took Mr. Fales’s boat and did not return it. You can well imagine how angry he is. He looked all around Butterfly Island for it, but with no success.”
“We didn’t leave it at Butterfly Island,” said Paxton. We left it—” He stopped short and looked at his cronies questioningly.
“How did you get away from the island?” asked Ritter.
“A party came along in another launch, the Spray,” said Jack, and did not attempt to explain further.
“We—er—we hid the Emma on the shore of another island,” said Coulter. “We didn’t hurt the boat in the least.”
“Well, you better return her before morning, or Mr. Fales may get out warrants for your whole crowd,” said Andy. “After we found the hornets’ nest he wanted to know who you were.”
“Humph! I suppose you told him too,” sneered Ritter.
“Why not? You put us in a hole. But you’d better get the boat. Don’t you know that there are some thieves on this lake? They wouldn’t hesitate to take that launch if they found it, and paint it over and change the name—and then you’d never find the craft.”
“Yes, you’ll get into serious trouble if you don’t return that boat by morning,” said the young major, and then he motioned to his chums and all walked away. Looking back they saw the Ritter crowd get together and commence an earnest conversation.
“I’ll wager they go out after the launch,” said Andy, with a broad grin.