“Jim, they know, is on board,” Cliff said. “My plan would be for Sam, and you, Jack, and me, to hide behind the cabin where they couldn’t see us, and have Jim hail them, if they come close enough and slow up enough to let him jump aboard—and they might not. But if they didn’t, Jim could be up forward on the cabin, and keep their attention on that end of the boat, and when they come abreast maybe one or more of us could run around the after end of the cabin and jump aboard.”
“Pretty wild chance,” commented Sam. “But it’s better than risking our necks standing up to be shot at—we’d have at least the chance of surprising them, and if we got aboard——”
“There’s a rocket!” cried Jack. “And another—” They all scrambled onto the cabin and stared toward the distant coast. Three puffs of smoke hung in the air, low over the trees.
“Nicky’s signal—or the cutter’s,” Cliff cried. “Be ready for—for anything!”
The wait was tedious. Their nerves were taunt and their voices when they spoke briefly were rather shrill and shaky. They did not know what was happening or what might happen. Would they be called on, really, to try to stop a band of hi-jackers? It seemed very easy when they discussed it in calm security; but with those signals shredding into nothing in the air, the reality and seriousness of their position came home to them all.
The time seemed endless, but finally Jim, alone on the cabin roof, whispered down, without moving enough to disclose the fact to his oncoming adversaries, “here she comes—El Libertad—and a-hummin’.”
“How many on her? Who can you see?” asked Cliff, tensely.
The white craft came ahead at her full speed. After a brief wait Jim answered Cliff. “I see my old boss, Senor Ortiga,” he said, “and Marse Coleson! And some other men—why, it’s the men who used to be in business with my boss, only they turned hi-jackers. Yes, sar, there’s Don Ortiga, the brother—and Tew—and all o’ them, the very ones we sent you to with that message in the can.”
“I know,” said Cliff. “Never mind, now—hail them, aren’t they near enough?” Being under the cabin wall for concealment he was not able to see.
“Now they are,” said Jim softly and sent a hail across the water.