By this time Jack also was awake and in less than a minute they were out of bed and had pulled on trousers and shoes.
"Now, Mike, you slip down by the shore, and Jack and I will go round through the woods. Go easy now, for I want to find out who it is."
The boathouse was about 100 feet from the cottage, and the boys crept quickly through the trees, which were not very dense. It was a bright moon-light night, and as they emerged from the woods and were within about twenty feet of the boathouse, they saw two boys close to the house, evidently trying to get a window open.
"Come on now," whispered Bob, "let's make a rush for them."
Springing from the bushes the two boys darted toward the boathouse, and before the intruders could recover from their surprise, they were grabbed and thrown to the ground. It is not to be supposed that they gave in without a struggle, and for a few moments the fight waged fast and furious. But the Golden boys were strong and the fight was over by the time Mike showed up.
"Ah, I thought so," muttered Bob, as he turned his captive over. "What are you doing here this time of night, Will Jenkins?"
"You let me up," was the dogged reply. "Can't a fellow take a walk without being jumped on?"
"Yes," replied Bob, "but you can't get into our boathouse in the middle of the night, not if we see you first."
"Aw, we weren't trying to get into your old shack. We were only walking by and happened to look in," was the sullen answer.
"I don't believe a word of it," said Jack, letting up his captive, who proved to be Fred Jenkins. "They were trying to get in to find out what we have been doing."