Once Hugh had been greatly tempted to sally forth under cover of darkness, and approach closer to the unseen fort, urged by the impression that he might be lucky enough to pick up valuable information in some fashion.
On second thought, however, he decided that his orders did not contemplate any such rash movement. If in taking such a hazard he were discovered and made a prisoner of war, of course all hope of taking the garrison by surprise must be abandoned, and the game would go against the Naval Reserve men.
Hugh had learned how scout law meant implicit compliance with orders, and that under such conditions nothing should be attempted beyond the bare reading of the duties as set forth by the commanding officer. He must crush down any temptation looking to self-elevation, and the desire to engage in an adventure for the sake of enjoying the thrill it might entail.
How slowly the minutes dragged along! Hugh did not remember of ever before being in a position where he almost counted the passing seconds. But it could not be for long, and before daylight came he expected to have the balance of his little band scattered among the rocks. In this way they would run small chances of discovery, even though officers or men from the fort took a notion to cross over to the land reef for some purpose or other during the day.
He had just aroused Alec, Monkey Stallings and Don Miller by a gentle touch and whispered words when he plainly heard the crunch of heavy footfalls approaching.
Whoever it might be, the fact that he was coming from the direction of the unseen fort, and would likely cross the rocky reef just at the point where they happened to be crouching, made matters look serious.
“We will have to capture him, most likely!” Hugh whispered again, for he knew that if they started to creep away there was already enough light with the coming of dawn for them to be seen.
It was supposed that every member of the Coast Artillery in charge of the fortifications beyond knew the rules by which these mock attacks are governed. If they suddenly confronted this enemy, and made a demand for his surrender he must immediately elevate his hands, and refrain from trying to call out so as to warn his comrades of the impending peril. That was one of the rules to be strictly observed on both sides. It meant that the man had unwittingly placed himself in a position where his capture or death at the hands of the hidden foeman could have been easily accomplished, and therefore he must eliminate himself from subsequent events just as though his life had indeed been sacrificed.
Hugh, however, thought that they would do better to leap suddenly upon the other, and get him down before demanding that he surrender. They were only boys, to be sure, but four to one is pretty heavy odds; and besides they would have all the advantage that comes of a surprise.
Nearer came the crunching footsteps. Plainly the party did not seem anxious to take any one unawares, for he walked as though wearing heavy sea boots. Now he was ascending the reef, and the night air blew a whiff of tobacco smoke from his pipe to the nostrils of the crouching scouts. They saw his head, surmounted by a fisherman’s sou’easter hat rise above the ridge, and then he walked straight into their extended arms.