“Probably they are out looking for us. I hope the boys won’t be worried.”
“You needn’t be afraid of Papa Sanders being worried,” laughed Fred. “As long as he and Grant are in some dry place and don’t have to think of any work they won’t trouble their heads about us, you may be sure about that.”
“They ought to be ashamed of themselves if they are not,” replied John half angrily. “But they certainly are coming this way,” he added a moment later.
“Yes, and they see us, too,” said Fred quickly, as he pointed to the mate, who, in advance of them, had arrived at the bluff and was waving a signal.
This signal consisted of a large piece of cloth that had at one time been white, attached to a long pole. The sailor was waving this back and forth in such a peculiar manner that the attention of the boys at once was drawn to his actions.
“What’s he trying to do?” whispered John to Fred.
“Trying to signal the Gadabout.”
“Yes, but what’s he doing it in that way for?”
“Well, I don’t know, Jack. You’re always suspicious of somebody. Probably the captain doesn’t know that he is doing anything out of the ordinary.”
Whatever the explanation may have been, in a brief time the Gadabout was seen approaching the bluff on which the sailor and the two boys now were standing.