"And you will find it is no joke at all," responded Mr. Avery, promptly. "I am an officer in pursuit of you on three or four charges, the last and least of which is running away with this sloop. We have a tug close at hand, and outnumber you in men and weapons, as well as in the advantage of situation. So I advise you to keep perfectly quiet."
The sound of the approaching tug was plainly discernible, to confirm his words, and silence again fell on the discomfited burglars.
"We are in Massachusetts waters; how dare you trouble us?" one of the men, after awhile, called out.
"I believe a man has a right to his property wherever he finds it," responded Mr. Avery, coolly; "and one of the owners of this sloop is on board now. We are just going to hitch on to the craft, at his request, and tow her home. It is your misfortune to be in her just at this time, but we cannot stop now to let you get off. As to your arrest, we'll see to that when we are in Rhode Island waters."
The tug had now come alongside of the captured vessel, and her anchor was weighed and she was lashed to the larger boat, so that a passage from one to the other could be easily made. Then the word was given, and the Thetis steamed rapidly off on her return.
When out so far from land that any escape of the prisoners was impossible, the door of the sloop's cabin was unfastened, and the men were ordered out one lay one. Bagsley and the leader of the gang showed a little disposition to fight at first, but when their three comrades yielded they evidently thought discretion the better part of valor, and sullenly obeyed.
Each one, as he came out, was disarmed and bound; then all were returned to the cabin of the sloop. Bagsley, when he first caught sight of Judd Floyd, seemed to think that he was Budd Boyd, but learned his mistake at once when he was questioned as to Budd's whereabouts, and angrily refused to tell. One of his companions, however, revealed that the lad had been left bound on Patience Island, and Mr. Avery consented, at Judd's urgent request, to visit the island early in the morning and release Budd.
At midnight, or a little after, the Thetis was in Newport. A strong guard was placed over the captured men, and Mr. Avery and Judd took possession of two of the tug's bunks, and slept soundly until early morning. Then a breakfast was furnished the prisoners one by one, after which they were again bound securely and replaced in the cabin of the sloop. Mr. Avery drew his check for one hundred dollars and gave it to Captain Bradley; then he and Judd entered the sloop and set sail for Patience Island.
As they came out of the east passage they saw a boat with a single occupant crossing over from Prudence Island toward the south end of Hope, and the moment it turned and was pulled rapidly for the latter Judd suspected who the occupant was. When a little nearer, he was sure it was Budd, whom he was seeking, and who had in some way escaped from his bonds; so he sent forth the three yells that he knew his partner would recognize, and which caused him to turn about, and with both surprise and joy come on to meet the approaching sloop; a surprise and joy that was destined to merge into a feeling of triumph when he learned what and whom the sloop contained.