They stopped rowing for a moment and the boys could see them holding a consultation. There was no doubt now but that the men were the suspicious-looking characters they had seen on the shore the previous night.
“Wonder what they’re going to do now,” said Fleet.
“They’re trying to decide whether we are interested in them or not,” Chot replied. “I think they are waiting in the hope that we will cross their course and continue on up the lake. Shows they don’t want to come to close quarters with us.”
“What will we do—wait for them?”
“No; for we’re apt to find that they can wait as long as we. I think we had better do away with any deception. They suspect that we are watching them, so let’s paddle over there and tell them just what we are here for.”
“Yes,” said Tom, “for these are the parties we’re after. Look at the size of that fellow at the oars. He certainly answers the description given by Mrs. Higgins, who saw him as he was getting away with the money.”
So the canoes were turned and the boys paddled easily across the intervening distance.
“Let’s surround them,” said Chot in a low tone, and the canoes separated until they were approaching the men in the skiff from every side.
Five boys with determined looks on their faces are no mean antagonists, especially when no matter in what direction you turn you find one of them, and the men in the skiff were evidently perplexed.
“Hello!” said Chot, by way of greeting.