The Shark followed him at once. Hagle glanced questioningly at Zorn.
“I—I—we ought—ought to clear it up—everything,” he faltered.
Zorn nodded. “I’m willing—if you are,” he said.
“I’ve wanted to—for weeks!” cried Jack.
“Then we’ll do it!” Zorn told him with decision; and strode after Sam and the Shark, Jack Hagle trotting at his heels.
CHAPTER XXIV
WHEN THE TRUTH COMES OUT
Sam led his little party straight to the water’s edge, and there almost at once caught sight of the boat with the punt in tow.
There was no waste of time in explanations while the rescuing craft drove shoreward, or while the four were scrambling aboard. Then Step and Poke backed away from the beach, not resting on their oars until the boat was perhaps a hundred yards from the land.
The presence of Zorn and Hagle, Sam’s battered countenance, a not wholly convincing increase in the Shark’s indifference of manner—none of these things escaped the observation of the other members of the club. There was light enough for such study; all along the shore were blazing beacons, huge if smoky torches. The spectacle afforded by the fire, indeed, was now at its finest, and the boat gave a splendid view of the long, fiery line and its weirdly reflected splendors on the surface of the water; but Orkney, Step, Poke, Herman and the Trojan gave a dozen thoughts to Sam and his adventures to one bestowed on the conflagration so near at hand.
“Whew! That’s what I call a real flare-up,” Step declared, but with no marked enthusiasm.