"Well, that explains why the stairway wasn't guarded, all right," commented Sandy, as they continued their way.
They had reached the bottom, and were about to strike off across the flat beach, when a figure suddenly emerged from the door of the lighthouse.
At the same time, as bad luck would have it, a flash of lightning from the nearing storm revealed the lads' figures clearly. But it did more than that, it showed Sandy that the man approaching them was followed by two or three others.
The fellow gave a shout as he saw the boys, and started for them. They dodged, and were about to make off, when another man blocked their path.
"Inside the light-house!" gasped Sandy. "It's empty, I think!"
"Good!" exclaimed Jack. "If we can get in there and bolt the door, we are safe against a siege."
The two lads doubled like hares and darted into the open door of the light-house. As they slammed it to, and slid the bolts, they could hear a yell of rage from without.
As Sandy had surmised, the place was empty. For the time, at any rate, they were safe. Moreover, there was food on the table, and this was a welcome sight to them.
"Queer, isn't it?" asked Sandy, with his mouth full, "that after taking all that trouble to escape, we should come back into the light-house after all."
"It certainly is," agreed Jack, likewise eating hastily. "Hark!"