"If you have a boat you can put me ashore. The two men took my boat."
"Then they robbed you after all."
"But they didn't go through my pockets," returned Ralph.
Sitting down on a soft knoll of grass, the boy told his story to Carter Franklin, for such was the sportsman's name. The latter listened with interest.
"Certainly an odd occurrence, to say the least, my young friend. What could have been the object of the two villains?"
"I cannot say, sir."
"It is impossible to imagine they wished to murder you merely for your boat."
"That is true, sir."
"Depend upon it, they were up to something more. It may be that they were hired to do the deed."
Ralph started.