Picking his way along the wharf, which was of oddly laid planks, trying to hurry yet fearing to trip if he should run, Frank went toward the one remaining craft which he could see more plainly now, though there were trees growing at that spot, their great branches hanging out over the wharf.
Suddenly a great hole yawned in front of him! Planks had been removed from the wharf, or had rotted out. It was too wide to leap, and one of the big trees leaned out, its branches like ghost-arms, to grasp at him.
Turning carefully, picking his steps, he stepped from the wharf to the sandy shore behind, and started around the big tree trunk. He was in the midst of half a dozen of them, forming a shady retreat at this point of the island.
Pitchy darkness prevailed. Frank realized that the gnarled roots of the great old trees were sticking up from the ground like giant knees peeping from a sandpile, and he picked his way carefully.
At the farther end of this little grove of trees a match suddenly flared, lighting a limited area, and the man holding the match lifted it to his cigar and carefully lighted it, the yellow glow of the light reflected on the man’s face by the cup of his hands.
Frank Allen stopped. Three men were there, he felt quite certain, though the others were but shadows dimly limned by the match’s glow.
This was a queer hour of the night for three men to be standing at such a place, evidently talking together in low tones, for he had heard no sound of voices as he came. And it was quite evident they had not heard him.
Yet, he thought, if this were not a queer time of night for him to be groping around on this island, why should he be sitting in judgment and assume that this was a queer time for these men to be abroad? It was possible that they belonged on the island, residents during the summer.
Whether to step forward to ask them for help was the question. He decided this was the best action to take, and certainly he stood a far better chance of getting the gasoline.
Thereupon he groped forward, still picking his steps, and in being so careful of his own safety, he was, quite naturally, quiet in his action.