Budd readily promised to do this, and with a hearty "Thank you" for his entertainment, hurried down the shore.
His breakfast had given him new strength, his bath in the cool salt water had soothed his bruised and aching body, and he felt equal to almost his usual amount of work. When, therefore, he stopped at the house where he had been told he could secure a boat and received the reply:
"I can let you have a boat, but you will have to row yourself over, and bring back the boat at your earliest convenience, for we are too busy to spare a single hand," he accepted the offer.
The farmer accompanied him down to the shore, and showing him which boat he was to take, cautioned him about being sure to return it. Budd assured the man that he need have no fears on that score; but he little knew how soon he was to return it.
Shoving off the boat, he embarked upon it and rowed rapidly out into the bay. Hope Island was plainly visible to the west, and he shaped his course so as to pass the south end of it, for he had no desire to visit Mr. Johnson again. Yet he of his own accord was in an hour to land there and hold a remarkable interview with that gentleman. So little is it that we really know what we shall do from hour to hour.
Half the distance between the two islands had been accomplished, and Budd had a clear, uninterrupted view down between Prudence and Conanicut Islands into the east bay. His first glance in that direction filled him with sheer amazement, for just emerging from the east passage, and coming directly toward him, was a sloop, and even at that distance he had no difficulty in recognizing her as the Sea Witch. He could see but two persons upon her, and yet there might be more in the cabin. Was it the burglars returning to carry out some forgotten or newly-formed purpose, and should he flee from them as for his life? Or had Judd, as he had hoped and prayed, rescued the sloop from the robbers' hands, and was he now coming to look for his missing chum?
These were questions Budd could not answer, and with a deep misgiving he turned the bow of his boat and rowed directly for Hope Island, believing that it was preferable to meet Mr. Johnson and his hot displeasure to falling again into the hands of Bagsley and his gang.
But before he had rowed half the distance necessary to reach the island the sloop had come up before the morning breeze with a rapidity to be in hailing distance. Then there rang out from her three such yells as only Judd could give; and full of surprise and joy, Budd turned about his boat and went down to meet her.
[CHAPTER XVIII.--CAUGHT.]
It was in truth the Sea Witch, and in order to understand how she appeared off Hope Island so early that morning we must go back a few hours in our story.