"Hush," said Dick; "I heard a noise like that of oars."
They listened, and sure enough they heard the noise of oars splashing in the water, and grating in the rowlocks.
"Here they are," whispered Frank. "We shall soon be in the thick of it."
Dick had been trembling for some time in his nervousness, and he thought somewhat bitterly, "What is the matter with me? Am I a coward?" and he felt ashamed at the thought. It was not cowardice, however, but pure nervousness, and the moment he heard the sound of the approaching voices his nervousness departed, and he felt as cool and collected as Frank.
A black patch soon became visible on the water, and they could just distinguish the outline of the boat. A splash in the water told them that the mooring stone had been thrown out, and that the robbers were at work. Frank quietly slipped his mooring, and the yacht drifted quickly towards the men. They were soon near enough to see that there were two men in the boat, and they heard one of them say in a startled tone,—
"I say, Jack, that yacht's adrift."
"Is there any one on board, did you see?" said the other.
"No, I don't think so."
"Yes, there is though. Pull up that stone and row off as fast as you can," answered his companion.
"Up with the sail!" shouted Frank, as he flew to the helm. Dick and Jimmy threw themselves on the halyard, and the great sail rose with surprising quickness against the dark night. The men in the boat were now pulling away at the top of their speed, but with the wind dead aft the yacht bore swiftly down upon them. The water was only about two feet deep, and began to shallow. The yacht's centre boards were up, but still she could not go much further, and they could tell that they were continually touching the mud.