The proposal struck Alvin dumb at first. His friend added:
"It will be easy; it won't take me long to go there and back."
"Suppose you are seen?"
"I have no fear of that; they won't be expecting anything of the kind and I shall learn something worth while."
"I won't agree to it," replied Alvin decisively; "it may look simple to you, but there is more danger than you suspect. No, give it up. It is my boat and if anyone chose to risk his life to recover it he should be myself, and I'll be hanged if I'll try it."
"All right; you are the Captain and I am only second mate, but it grieves me to have you turn down my proposition. Sh! you heard that?"
From the direction of the launch came the sound of a sneeze. In the profound stillness there was no mistaking the nature of the noise.
"I wonder if our friend is catching cold," was the whimsical remark of Chester; "it sounds that way," he added as the person, whoever he was, sneezed a second, third and fourth time in quick succession and then rested.
"Suppose I call to him to be careful," suggested Chester.
"Do so if you choose, but it strikes me that we are the ones who need to be careful."