ed sharpie, had come a strange cry, that seemed to be in the voice
of either a woman or a child. The four chums sat there and stared at each
other in consternation, for it seemed as though that pitiful cry was
for help!

CHAPTER XV

A VISIT TO THE MYSTERIOUS SHARPIE

Jerry made a reach for his gun, that happened to be hanging from a couple
of hooks close by his hand.

"Oh! What was that?" asked Will in a trembling voice.

"Sounded to me like a child. I reckon they've got a boy along with 'em,
and the brutes are whaling him!" growled Bluff.

"It's a shame, then, that's what!" declared Will, showing unwonted anger,
for, as a usual thing, he seldom gave way to his emotions in this line.

They listened for a time in silence. Jerry declared that he felt sure he
heard a sound not unlike a child crying, but the heavy voices of the men
drowned this.

"Can't we do anything?" asked Will.

"Well, we're only a lot of boys, and they are big strapping men. Probably
they've got the law on their side, too," suggested Frank, shaking his
head.

"What do you mean by that, Frank?" queried Bluff indignantly.

"Why, the chances are ten to one that the boy, if it is a boy, must
belong to one of the men--his own son, I mean--and you know, Mr. Lawyer,
that a fellow has to be mighty careful how he steps in between a man and
his son. That same law allows even a brute a certain right to punish a
rebellious child," said Frank.

So they talked it over a long time. Apparently, nothing could be done
that night to ascertain the cause of the outbreak. All was silent now
in the direction of the sharpie, and not even a riding light marked the
spot where the boat lay.

Frank had recommended that they put out their own lights, all but one
lantern, which was to be fastened in such a way that it would mark the
anchorage of the little modern motor-boat.

"It'll be an invitation to the sharks to visit us," remarked Bluff.

"Not at all. If they mean to drop in on us during the night, the presence
of one lantern, or its absence, will make mighty little difference,"
responded Frank.

"Do you really think they'll do anything?" asked Will pointedly.

"No, I don't. In the first place, they must know that there's quite a
crowd of us aboard. Then such boats as this are apt to carry a few guns
along. Just sleep in peace, Will. The chances are ten to one the only
thing apt to arouse us to-night may be the howl of a norther," said Frank
sooth