Alice refused to knock. The sun went down cloudy that night, and a breeze rose, blowing up from the swamps, and bringing hordes of mosquitoes upon it. That was a distressing night. Alice was protected by the screened window and door of her cabin, but the boys found it impossible to sleep. Sam finally built a choking smudge of damp wood, and they all sat beside it, half suffocated, dozing at intervals; until toward morning rain came down in torrents. It drove off or dissolved the mosquitoes, and in time soaked through Sam’s supposedly waterproof shelter. They were forced to take refuge in the tent until the rain ceased shortly after dawn.
It had brought a change in the weather. The wind had turned to the north; it was cool, and the secretion of honey had ceased. The bees were cross and restless. Shortly after sunrise they discovered the pile of cut-out honeycomb, and a riot of robbing ensued. The heap of wax was entirely obscured by the clouds of insects all trying to get at the honey. The apiary was full of flying bees, aware that honey was coming from somewhere, but not yet knowing its source, darting toward the woods and returning, and trying to rob one another’s hives. Excited with the plundering, they grew cross. The apiarists had to put on veils to cross the yard; and in the midst of the uproar Bob, happening to glance down the slope, saw a boat run up to the shore, and a man get out of it. He started up the bank, carrying a gun over his shoulder. Bob touched Carl’s arm and pointed.
“Candler, I declare!” Carl exclaimed.
CHAPTER XIII
PIRATES’ TREASURE
They all stared. It was, sure enough, the hunter whom the boys had encountered in their exploration of the island.
“He’s coming to see us!” Bob exclaimed. “He’ll get stung to death if he walks up here like that.”
“Stop him!” cried Alice, and they all ran down the slope toward the visitor, gesticulating and calling to him to go back.
Candler had already heard the tremendous roar of wings and had stopped uncertainly. At that moment a bee dashed into his face, and he jumped back brushing frantically.
“Don’t come any further, Mr. Candler!” Carl shouted. “Wait—we’ll give you a veil.”
Candler had got rid of his bee. He backed away a little, looking savagely at the veiled faces. He seemed to regard Alice with amazement, then he scowled at Bob and Carl, recognizing their features at last through the black net.