And then the disappearance of the boat itself pointed to enemies they had not counted upon. Who could have found and taken it?
"Well, now we're in a pretty pickle," exclaimed Clif, when he became satisfied that the boat had really been taken.
"Perhaps, sir, this is not the place where we left it," ventured one of the men, catching at that faint hope.
"I wish you were right," said Clif, "but there's no doubt about it. The boat has been taken."
"There's no doubt of it," the men echoed. "The boat is gone."
But to make assurance doubly sure, they searched the beach under Clif's direction, examining every clump of bushes that was large enough to conceal the boat. But the result was a foregone conclusion. The boat was gone.
"Now what's to be done, sir?" asked one of the men.
What, indeed!
"Something's got to be done," said Clif, with determination. "We've got to get off this island before daybreak. It's easy to dodge the Spaniards in the darkness, but entirely a different matter by day. Besides, we seem to have enemies down here as well as back there on the hill."
He was scanning the water earnestly as he spoke. It was time, he knew, for the flagship to return to her position opposite that point, and await the return of Clif and his crew.