“You showed that this afternoon. But, as you came over, did you see anything of a boat leaving the island?”
“A launch?”
“I guess that’s what they came in,” responded Joe, and he then related all that had occurred that afternoon. Hank exclaimed angrily and blamed himself for not stopping the launch as he heard Joe tell of the escape of the men after locking him in the closet.
“I could have stopped that launch plum easy, if I’d only known,” he said, “but I thought that they were just visitors.”
“So they were and very unwelcome ones, too,” laughed Joe, who, now that his troubles were over, could, as usual, see the humorous side of them as well as the serious.
“There’s something else I want to tell you,” said Hank, as he picked up his hat and prepared to go.
“What’s that?”
“Well, you remember what old Israel said about you fellows not having any rights on this island?”
“Yes, what of it?”
“Just this, that if it hadn’t been for that affair of Minory’s, they meant to attack you.”