“Well,” Case said excitedly, “we’re going to do exactly the same thing. Those fellows on board are so busy watching the pirates that they won’t see us, and the pirates are so busy watching the Rambler that they won’t see us. We’ve just got to get on board.”
The mountaineer threw himself at full length on the ground and laughed until his lean sides shook.
“And what will you do when you get on board?” he asked directly. “You’re the gamest lot of kids I ever saw.”
“About the first thing I do,” Case declared, “will be to get something to eat. I’ll just bet you a red apple that Alex has got his nose into the provision chest this minute.”
They all glanced toward the Rambler at mention of the boy and saw that the after deck was vacant.
“It’s a sure thing he’s got his nose into some kind of food if he’s inside the cabin,” Clay remarked.
“But, honest, now, boys,” the mountaineer asked, “what do you think of doing after you get on board? You can’t fight the pirates on your boat and the pirates on the Hawk too.”
“Why,” Clay said, “we’ll run away from that boat in a minute. In three seconds after we get our hands on the motors, we’ll be going so fast downstream that a bullet from the Hawk couldn’t catch us.”
“You kids certainly beat my time,” chuckled the mountaineer. “If I didn’t have plenty of business at that little aeroplane factory of mine up in the hills. I’d be tempted to go with you.”
“This man,” Case explained to Clay, “makes moonshine whiskey up in the hills. He calls his still an aeroplane factory because his product sends people up in the air.”