"Those fellows are up to some crime," Budd had declared, "and possibly, if we say nothing about their visit here, but keep a careful watch up and down the bay, we may discover what it is and bring them to justice.
"Once get Bagsley into jail charged with some crime, and he may be willing to acknowledge his guilt respecting the one of which my father has been convicted. Especially may this be so if he should be able to lighten his sentence on the later charge by a confession of the first; and if we are the means of his and his companions' arrest, we may have the power to bring about such an arrangement. Then my father's release is certain."
To all of which Judd agreed, and from that day the lads became a self-appointed vigilance committee patrolling the bay.
On both the following Monday and Tuesday mornings, when the lads came to haul their nets at the three pounds, they were delighted to find in each the largest catches of fish they had yet made; and it was nearly dark on Tuesday evening as they got into their sloop at the village wharf, after shipping off the large excess of fish they had had over the demand of the home trade.
As Budd cast off the last rope and stepped forward to hoist the sails of the Sea Witch, preparatory to a departure for the island, a gentleman came hurriedly to the dock and called out:
"Hello, there, boys; hold on a moment. I want to see you!"
Judd threw the man a rope, and the sloop was refastened to the wharf.
"Are you Boyd & Floyd of Fox Island?" the stranger asked.
"Yes, sir," replied the lads.
"And you sometimes take out sailing-parties, do you not?" was the next inquiry; and again the young partners responded in the affirmative.