"I suppose you did," Jud said, with a sublime confidence that was refreshing.
"Because, you see," added Paul, "when we start back again, we'll have to do without the help of our motors, for, muffle them as we might, they'd make enough noise to betray us."
"Oh! I see now," declared Jud, chuckling. "In place of the motor business we'll use good hard muscle with these setting poles. And so long as we can touch bottom right along, it ain't going to be a very hard job getting back to the island. You don't think it's more'n half a mile; do you, Paul?"
"Not much more, and we can take our time, Jud. The one thing above all others we've got to keep in mind is silence. Nobody ought to knock a pole against the side of a boat under penalty of being given black marks. And as for talking, it'll have to be in whispers, when at all."
"S-s-sounds g-g-good to m-m-me," said Bluff, who somehow seemed to have gone back to his old stuttering ways; though it might be the excitement that caused the lapse.
Nothing more was said on the way over, though doubtless the boys kept up considerable thinking. They were tremendously worked up over the situation. This scheme proposed by the scout leader seemed to appeal to the spirit of adventure which nearly every boy who has red blood in his veins feels to be a part of his nature.
There was one among them, however, who was silent because of another reason; for Old Dan Tucker always declared it a very bad and injurious plan to try and converse when one's mouth was crammed full; and crackers, too, being apt to get in the wind-pipe, may do all manner of choking stunts. So he said never a word.
They presently could see the other shore looming up, though it was getting very dark, just as though a storm might be threatening to again demoralize them.
"Getting more shoal, Paul," warned the pole heaver.
"How much water have you now?" demanded the leader, ready to give the signal for bringing both motorboats to a stop, when it seemed necessary.