The three men commenced an active search in various directions. In a moment Snags exclaimed, with an oath:
“One of the boats is gone!”
All three rushed to the spot.
“Yes,” exclaimed Roake, “and it’s the Gull—the fastest one we’ve got. There’s not another yacht here that can catch it. There is no use in pursuing him.”
“It won’t do to give up that way,” replied Haywood. “He can’t have gone a great distance. Take the other boat and go after him.”
“I tell you it’s no use.”
“And I tell you nothing must be left untried. Go!”
Haywood was evidently the “boss” in earnest, for Roake instantly prepared to start.
“I’ll take the little Fleetwing,” he said, “for I can’t do anything with this unwieldly old hulk here.”
He referred to the larger yacht that stood close to the one that Leonard had taken. The Fleetwing was one of the regular boats kept at Rocky Beach for the accommodation of visitors.