“No!” snapped Hegarty, and he went below to his cabin where he was shortly closeted with his lieutenants.
“Why not chase the kids further, Hegarty?” asked one.
“What’s the use? You can’t expect to find a small sloop in the bay on a night like this, or any night for that matter! We’ll find ’em to-morrow!”
“Who handled the motor grip, boss?”
Hegarty winced.
“You and me and him all gripped it in succession as we steadied ourselves to step to the wharf!” he groaned.
On the waters of the bay the sloop forged ahead for the Island at her fastest gait, and soon was cruising in the darkness along the north shore, hunting for a certain new cove into which to slip. She was running in at slackened speed under the starlight when something fast and dark hummed in behind her! It was a speedboat coming at moderate velocity, and both boys were startled.
“The bows, John!” yelled Stan, and the Mate went below, returning at once with their weapons.
“Do you think it’s Dago and the mob?” John asked, putting an arrow to the string. “Indigo nanny goats, what breaks we get!”
Stan had no chance to reply, for a searchlight was flung for an instant full upon the boat, then as quickly shut off. In another split second, blinded as he was by the flare of light, John would have let fly with an arrow anyhow, but a voice commanding, yet friendly, came distinctly to the boys.