"Well, that's another part of the story," Bob broke in.
"We'd about given you up for lost," Captain Ole told them as he led the way to the cabin. "Dinner's been waiting these two hours and Wong's as mad as a wet hen. Now hustle and get some dry duds on and then maybe Wong'll give us something to eat and maybe he won't."
As usual Wong's bark was worse than his bite and while they were eating the boys gave them a full account of their adventures.
"Blamed if I know whether to scold you or to praise you," their uncle said when the story was told. "You did mighty wrong to take such a risk but, on the other hand, I reckon you may have done a big thing for us, that is, if you've fixed that gun so they can't use it."
"Suppose you call it even and don't do either," Bob grinned.
"Well, maybe I will," Mr. Lakewood chuckled.
"How come they didn't follow you?" Jack asked.
"I guess they didn't have steam up," Captain Ole told him.
"Are we going back there?" Bob asked.
"We sure are," his uncle replied. "I never had anyone scare me away from a place yet and I'm too old to begin now."