Suddenly he gave a shout that made Chris stir in his stupor; "The boys! The boys!" he cried in delight.
In the broad path of moonlight, a small schooner appeared feeling her way through a passage in the reef under close-reefed sails.
"They must have someone aboard that knows the reef," he mused as he watched the little ship cautiously weaving her way in between the dangerous rocks.
She held steadily for the shore until she was scarce two cable lengths from it, then, she shot up into the wind, her anchor was dropped, and her sails lowered.
The captain was down on the shore, heedless of the flying spray, when the anchor hit the bottom.
"Walt! Charley!" he roared at the top of his voice.
There was no answer and he hailed again.
"Ahoy! Shore!" came an answering hail from the schooner. "Who air yo' and what do yo' want?"
The captain was silent for a moment with disappointment. It was not the boys after all, but any help was welcome at such a time and he made haste to reply.