As they were all of a mind, the halt was quickly brought about. They anchored in the open; but in case of a sudden high wind arising that threatened to make things unpleasant for the small craft, it would be the easiest thing in the world to push around in the lee of the nearest mangrove island, which would serve as a barrier against the storm.
Jimmy was soon seen paddling away in the dinky belonging to the speed boat.
“Now what did he take your rifle for, Jack, if he expects to go fishing?” asked George, while Nick cocked up his ears, and listened as though interested.
“I asked him, and he only grinned at me,” Jack replied. “But I made him promise not to go beyond that big island you can see up the channel a ways.”
A short time later they heard a shot, followed by several others, that made them sit up and take notice.
“Say, he got a crack at something!” Nick remarked, uneasily, for he remembered how Jimmy had looked so queerly at him when departing, as though he had something in his mind.
“Well, we’ll soon know; and I can see him moving around in his boat up yonder right now. Seems to me he’s trying to get at something in among the mangroves. He must have made a kill of it,” Herb declared.
Ten minutes later and Jimmy was seen approaching, rowing steadily.
“Look at him, would you?” called out the anxious Nick; “he’s dragging something behind the boat, as sure as anything!”
Jack watched the performance for a minute or so, and then remarked: