“When I got up there,” he said, “I stumbled over some one lying on the ground! I felt about for a minute and found pretty much rags! Then some one told me to get off the island or I would be murdered.”
“Go on!” Clay said excitedly. “We have no time to lose if we are to investigate this matter. Was the person you talked with a prisoner?”
“Sure he was. He asked me to cut the cords, but I had no knife with me and so had to make an effort to untie them. The captive talked while I was at work on the knots, and who do you think it was. Give you three guesses!”
“Hurry! Hurry! We have no time to lose, I tell you, if the captive is in need of our assistance. Who is it?”
“The kid who came on board the Rambler at Cairo!” replied Alex.
“And you had to leave him there—tied?”
“What else could I do?” asked Alex. “I didn’t have even a knife! This foolish bathing suit has no pockets, so I brought no arms with me. What could I do, when the coons were making a rush for the camp?”
“We’ve got to get that kid!” Clay cried.
“If they would only go away for a minute,” Alex. declared, “I could get him and bring him to the boat, ropes and all!”
A shot came from the Rambler, and, turning, the boys saw that the craft was aglow with electric lights! Instantly they crouched lower in the willows, for the strong prow lamp cast a ray far over on the “tow-head.”