“Better wait and see if they come back,” thought Martin. “We are both dog-tired, and want a rest.”
Minutes passed. Martin listened for the sound of returning footsteps. Presently he heard them, slow, dragging. The men went by on the other side of the hedge; there was sullen rage in the tone of their voices. Martin waited until he could hear them no longer; then he turned to the Indian boy.
“We can go now,” he said. “The pain is gone, Gundra?”
Gundra was asleep.
CHAPTER THE THIRTY-FIRST
GOLLOP MAKES A DISCOVERY
The little fellow screamed when Martin roused him, and started up in a fright.
“Hush! It’s all right,” said Martin. “The men have gone. We must get home and tell Gollop all about it. He will tell us what is best to be done.”
He reflected that if, as he supposed, the barge held stolen goods that were to form part of the cargo of the Santa Maria, it would take some time to row that clumsy craft against the tide, and it might still be possible to intervene before the vessel sailed. No doubt she would leave her moorings as soon as the tide turned, and make what headway she could against the east wind.