“Some one boarding the boat!” Alex cried. “The boys are asleep and Captain Joe is gone! Now do you see why the dog was abducted? We’ve got to get down there just as soon as we can. No knowing what may happen!”
“I guess we’re not going to lack for excitement!” Case mused. “We’ve got out of the path of commerce, but we seem to have struck a live wire, after all!”
“Shall we go back, or just wake the boys and go find the dog?” asked the other.
“If we don’t go back, we may not have any boat to go back to!” Case predicted. “The people down there are never prowling around for their health.”
“But the boys would be all right, awake, and I hate to leave the dog in bad company!” Alex protested.
“Say,” Case suggested, “suppose we take a couple of shots at the chaps who are monkeying with the Rambler? That will wake the boys!”
“That surely will wake the boys, anyway,” was the reply, and before Case could get his gun out Alex was peppering away at the air a few feet above the cabin of the motor boat.
The effect, below, was instantaneous. A light flashed out in the cabin, and then the prow lamp was turned on. Clay and Don could be seen scrambling out of the doorway, only half dressed.
There was no one else in sight. The intruder had made himself scarce at the instant the revolvers had been fired. It was evident that he had not visited the Rambler with the intention of attacking the boys.
“Hello, the boat!” yelled Alex, directly.