“All that talks doesn’t scare me,” Nicky declared, “nor Sam, either, even with his witch-charms. I’d sort of like to see——”
That very second he had his wish!
CHAPTER X
SAM SHOWS HIS TRUE COLORS
On shore a queer light appeared. It was queer in more ways than one. It was of a peculiar green, an uncanny green; it was not the light of a lantern, shining all around; it seemed like a small window lighted up with an uncanny glow—and it was where no window could be. The light seemed to be moving, very slowly, when Cliff discovered it and without a word directed his comrades’ attention toward it.
While they stared, the light came slowly closer to the shore—and yet it did not seem to be carried—it glided along almost imperceptibly.
Tom, with a nervous clutch on Mr. Neale’s arm, indicated the open water of the Sound. Across it a boat was moving, slowly, steadily, toward them.
Yet, although it came steadily along and they could see the men as dim, ghostly shapes, the oars made no sound as the forms in the boat plied them—bend! straighten!—bend! straighten!
The light had stopped moving and seemed to hang, a queer window of illumination, above the water on which its gleam was reflected faintly. The boat came toward them. In its bow a figure stood—and what a figure! In the dim star-gleam it seemed gigantic. Not a sound accompanied the slow progress of the strange craft.
“He’s got something in his hand!” gasped Nicky.
The man, as the boat came to within thirty feet of the sloop, raised his arm.