“What’s your scheme?” asked Nelson, beginning to take interest. But Dan had nothing more to say until the motor-dory had come alongside and its occupants had finally taken themselves off up the hill, whooping like an Indian war-party.
“When it’s good and dark,” he continued then, “we’ll swim over there and get the old rag; that’s all.”
“But why not take a boat?” asked Tom.
“Because somebody would be sure to hear us.”
“Then what’s the matter with a canoe?”
“Well, that might do,” answered Dan thoughtfully. “But we don’t want to have any trouble about it; Clint’s got his eye on us, I’ll bet, and if we get caught swiping Wickasaw’s flag we’ll get what for!”
“But there won’t be any fun in it if they don’t know who’s taken it,” Nelson objected.
“Oh, they’ll know all right,” said Dan; “only they won’t be able to prove anything.”
“I tell you what,” Tom exclaimed. “We’ll tear it up and tie it around that stake off the end of the island, the one that marks the sand-bar.”
“That’s so,” said Nelson. “And look, Dan, we can take a canoe and paddle down the shore until we’re opposite the landing and then swim across. That way we won’t have to swim over a half mile in all.”