“Ah! If the señors should weesh help of any kind, we are of the willingness to do—si, señorita!” exclaimed the man, and led his comrades away along the beach just as the Isobel, by the light of the stars, shoved her nose into the little inlet.
The boys leaped ashore the moment the motor-boat was near enough to the rocky landing. Such a noisy time as it was for a minute, with Tess and Dot shrieking greetings and the boys hurrahing! Suddenly Agnes was heard to say sharply:
“I like your impudence, Neale O’Neil! Who said you could do that, I’d like to know?”
“Don’t lay it up against me,” drawled her boy chum. “Really couldn’t help it. I merely followed Luke’s example.”
“Come, come!” exclaimed Mr. Howbridge. “No quarreling there—especially on such a joyful occasion. Who were those men I saw?”
Agnes ran to meet him as he moored the boat and explained about the turtle fishers and told how frightened she and Ruth had been.
“Well, well! Perhaps they are harmless. But what do you say, boys? The engine is working like a charm, and the night is lovely. Had we better not head for St. Sergius before something worse happens to us?”
“Oh!” cried Ruth, clasping her hands, “that sounds sweet.”
“Guess we all have got enough of Palm Island,” said Luke.
The bigger girls had by this time got aboard the motor-boat to greet Tess and Dot. The four sisters cuddled down in the cockpit and chattered like four magpies. There was so much to tell!