Startled by the unexpected sound both boys turned quickly about and saw standing in the doorway of the kitchen a man plainly puzzled by their unexpected appearance.
Neither of the boys ever had seen him before. He was apparently fifty years of age, strong, and his face bronzed by sun and wind. There was an expression in his face, however, that was puzzling to both boys. He glanced quickly from one to the other and for a moment the boys suspected that he was prepared either to leap upon them or precipitately flee from the spot, they could not decide which.
The man was well-dressed and it was plain that he was not an ordinary inhabitant.
“We got caught in the storm,” explained John hastily. “We landed down here and then we saw this little house and we thought perhaps we could come up here and dry out.”
“Anybody with you?” inquired the other man, still gazing keenly at both his young visitors.
“Nobody but the mate.”
“Mate of what?”
“The Gadabout.”
“Did you come over from Mackinac Island?” demanded the man quickly.
“Yes, sir,” said Fred. “We started this morning about four o’clock.”