Jack, of course, was on the lookout for the first sign of his teammate. Jimmy was discovered rowing frantically around one end of the big island, as though, upon hearing the popping of exhausts, he had been seized with a sudden fear lest he was in danger of being abandoned there in that terrible region, with not a foot of high land within many miles.
“Hi! howld on there, Jack darlint!” he called out, stopping to wave a hand toward the advancing Tramp.
When alongside he of course demanded to know what it all meant; and upon learning that they were about to go a mile or so further in, Jimmy shook his head in a discouraged manner, saying:
“Arrah! now, as if I couldn’t say through a stone that has a hole in the same. I do be belaving that it’s all the fault of that same sly one, Nick. He’s that fearful of me accomplishin’ me threat, and securin’ a whopper of a fish, that he invents all sorts of rasons for being on the jump. But I’ll get the better of him yet, say if I don’t, Jack, me bhoy!”
He climbed aboard, still grumbling, as though unable to convince himself that this was not all some smart scheme, engineered by his rival, in order to keep him from securing a prize catch.
Herb was still far ahead, and skirting some of the many islands. When he reached a certain point he had marked out for himself, he intended to lie to, and wait for the coming of Jack. George had started on at a fast gait, and doubtless was determined to head off the clumsy Comfort, which fact may have urged Herb to do his best and cut corners sharply. All of which led up to a sequel.
Jack suddenly missed the loud noise that usually accompanied the progress of the broad-beamed boat. As he looked up he discovered that George was heading straight for the Comfort, which hung near the point of an island; also that both Herb and Josh were jumping wildly about, as though greatly excited.
“What do be the matter with the gossoons?” asked Jimmy.
“I don’t know for certain,” replied Jack; “but I’ve got my suspicions. Herb was running in a careless way and just as like as not he managed to snag his boat. If that’s what happened, we’re in for a peck of trouble; for there’s no boat builder within many miles of this place, and we’d be lucky to find even a piece of shore to pull her up on.”