"You think they'll make trouble?" Captain Ole asked.
"That fellow Josh has no other object in life and if he's on that boat, believe me, he's out for trouble."
"Well, I reckon he's coming to a good place for it," Captain Ole smiled grimly as he gave the order to summon all hands on deck.
"Now boys," he began as soon as they were all before him except MacDonald who was below getting up steam in case they should want to get away; quickly, "don't start anything unless I give the word. They may be looking for trouble and then again they may not and we'll match them either way. But if I do give the word to mix it up let's go at in man fashion."
"I reckon we know what yer mane," one of the sailors grinned while the others nodded in agreement.
"How's your steam?" the captain called down the speaking tube.
"Be ready to start in ten minutes if you want to," MacDonald called back.
"Good! We probably won't want to run but it's fine to know that we can."
By this time the other boat was less than a hundred rods away and all could hear the order to reverse and, in another five minutes, the order to let go the anchor, followed. Bob noted that it was just three o'clock as he heard the splash of the anchor.
"They'll know that they aren't going to catch us napping," he said as he thrust the watch back in his pocket.