“We can’t very well cut it out!” Clay exclaimed. “They probably know we’re tied up here with a disabled motor. If they are the kind of people we fear they are, they’ll come and get us anyway. I wish Alex and Case were here.”
“Shall we stay here and shoot if they attempt to board us?” asked Jule, the light of battle flaming in his usually merry eyes.
Clay thought hard for a moment and then turned back to the cabin for his automatic, which he took good care to keep out of sight.
“Are you coming aboard?” the man shouted from the Hawk.
“We haven’t any boat,” Clay replied. “Our friends have gone hunting on shore.”
“We’ll fix that all right,” was called back, and in a moment a rowboat rounded the stern of the Hawk and made its way rapidly to the Rambler. The boys watched the appearance of the boat with premonitions of danger. The two rowers looked like veritable river pirates.
“Pile in!” shouted one of the men gruffly as he held on to the anchor-chain of the motor boat. “Hustle yourselves in here, and I’ll have you over to the Hawk in a minute.”
Motioning to Jule to remain where he was, Clay dropped into the rowboat and told the man to pull away.
“Isn’t your friend coming?” one of the rowers asked.
“We can’t leave the boat alone,” was the reply. “Why, we’ll be right here alongside,” urged the other.