ROB'S BRAVE ACT.
While the boys had been watching, Barton had lain down, as though tired, on the summit of a near-by dune. As the red light came close in shore, however, he arose, and once more waved his lantern.
At the signal the course of the red light shifted and headed directly toward him. The boys' hearts beat thickly; the time for action was at hand. The bow of the boat they had seen approaching grated on the beach, and two figures sprang out while Barton advanced to meet them.
"Get as close as you can," whispered Rob, as he wriggled forward; "we want to get every word."
Merritt merely nodded; but his silent advance was as rapid as his leader's. Owing to the nature of the ground, they were able to run forward in an almost upright position when they reached the hollows of the dunes, being compelled to cast themselves down only when they topped a rise. Therefore, they were within ear shot when Barton greeted the two men who had disembarked from the boat.
"Well," said one of the newcomers in a voice which plainly betrayed his foreign origin; "well, did you do as you said you would?"
"Yes," responded Barton; "I've got the drawings here. They are not complete, however, and you will have to give me more time."
"As you were told at Bridgeport, before you left for this island, you can have all the time you want, only make the job complete."
"You can depend upon me to do that," was the response. "So long as I'm well paid, I'll sell out all I know, and that's about everything about the Barr submarine."
Here another voice, that of the second man who had left the boat, struck in: