“All ready?” asked the leader.
“Yes—yes!” came the answers.
Blake leaned forward, cautiously parted the bushes and looked toward the open space. He had heard nothing, and seen nothing, and yet he knew that the men might be hidden about, and that the lantern might not yet be lighted.
“Come on!” cried Tom Cardiff, and together they leaped from their place of concealment.
There was a moment of silence, and then a disappointed exclamation burst from the lips of the assistant lighthouse keeper.
“They’re not here!” he declared. That was evident, for there had been no response as the searchers burst out.
“Are you sure this is the place?” asked Mr. Wilton, turning to the boys.
“Positive,” answered Joe.
“Here’s the pile of rocks on which the lantern was set,” added Blake.
“But there’s no lantern here now,” said Tom Cardiff.