He was about to say more when there came another voice from outside—a slow, steady voice demanding attention.
“Listen, you kids in there,” the voice said. “Listen, and I’ll tell you what to do to save a couple of lives!”
[CHAPTER II—ALEX. GOES FISHING]
“Things seem to be coming our way!” Alex. observed. “Can either of you boys see the fellow who is doing the talking?”
Clay stepped to the cabin door and opened it. The night had fallen swiftly, and the deck was quite dark. The boy started toward the switch which controlled the prow light, but the voice checked him, coming, not from the pier, but from the water at the side of the motor boat.
“Don’t turn on any lights!” the voice said. “I’m right here under the overhang. I came to ask you to do me a favor! You look like decent sort of chaps!”
“Thanks for the compliment!” Alex. put in, from the cabin door, where he stood with a freckled nose wrinkled to its full capacity—and then a little more!
“Keep still a minute, can’t you?” demanded Clay. “Let us see what it is the man wants us to do for him. Why don’t you come on deck?” the boy added, bending over in the hope of getting a view of the strange visitor.
“I don’t come on deck,” was the reply, “because I’m not lookin’ for trouble! I’m in bad here, strangers, an’ I want you to take the boy down the river with you!”
The lad who had recently come on board now came up to the cabin door and stood in a listening attitude. In the deep dusk his face could not be seen plainly, but Alex., who stood close to his side, knew that he was shaking with the chill of the water.