"Stop it!" commanded the blonde twin, with a deep blush as she fairly squirmed out of reach.
CHAPTER XX
ANXIOUS NIGHTS
Dusk had begun to settle over the harbor of Christianstad, or Bassin, as the capital of St. Croix is locally known, when the anchor of the Tartar was dropped into the mud. The boat had threaded its way through a rather treacherous channel, caused by the then shallow parts of the basin, and had come to rest not far from shore.
"What's the program?" asked Walter, as the motor ceased its throbbing.
"We'll go ashore," said Jack, "and see what news we can learn. I'm not very hopeful, but we may pick up something."
"Back here to sleep?" Walter went on, questioningly.
"Oh, sure. We want to start early in the morning. And from now on, we'll have plenty of stopping places, for there are many small islands where survivors from the wreck might have landed."
"Is there anything to see here ashore?" asked Bess. "If there is, you might take us girls. We don't want to be left alone."
"Well, I suppose it could be done," Jack assented. "Only we'll have to do it in two trips, for the small boat won't hold us all. Too risky, and there might be sharks here, Bess," and he made a motion toward the waters of the harbor.