“I’ll have to be careful here,” said Captain Wells, “I can’t afford to strike on the rocks. Those chaps would let us drown before they would come to our assistance.”
The steam tug came in slowly. It could not reach the island proper, but stopped at the first of a series of rocks.
“Let me have one of those pistols,” said Dick, to the captain, and the weapon was handed over. Then Tom and Sam also armed themselves.
“You had better stand off,” went on Dick to Captain Wells. “If we want you we’ll fire three shots, or wave a handkerchief.”
“Say, don’t you want me along?” asked Larry Dixon. “I’d like a scrap, if it comes to that.”
“Come along if you want to,” answered Dick. He saw that though the sailor was old he was strong, and not afraid to take his own part.
The boys and the tar lost no time in jumping from one rock to another until the main portion of the island was gained. Then they ran for the shelter of some bushes. In the meantime the steam tug moved away to such a distance that those aboard could be seen with difficulty.
“Now, if the others didn’t see us land, we are all right,” cried Tom.
“We don’t want to make any noise,” cautioned Dick. “Remember, they may be on the watch for us—Koswell and his cronies, and the Sobber crowd too.”
“Do you think Koswell and Larkspur would give aid to those other rascals?” asked Sam.