Breakfast was prepared and eaten in record time that morning. Then the dishes were speedily washed and put away. The Tramp Club's camp showed no activity until after eight o'clock, when the smoke from their cook fire was observed curling up through the foliage on the shore of the Island of Delight. A long-drawn "Hoo-oo-oo" from the camp told the girls that they had been observed by some of the boys.
Before nine o'clock the launch put out and sailed rapidly over to the "Red Rover."
"We didn't come to call. We just ran over to see what time you wished to go for a sail?" asked Billy Gordon.
"Come right on board, boys. We finished our work shortly after daylight this morning. You see we are early risers," replied Miss Elting.
The lads needed no urging. They hopped to the after deck of the houseboat. But no sooner had they come aboard than they perceived that something was amiss. George glanced at Harriet inquiringly.
"What's the matter with you girls, this morning?" he asked lamely.
"We had considerable excitement here last night. We were visited by pirates," said the guardian.
The boys flushed guiltily.
"But that is not all," added Jane McCarthy. "We were visited later in the night by a real thief."
"Wha—at!" gasped George, somehow feeling that they were involved.