and with some difficulty he was awakened by heavy thumps upon the door
of his house. He was astonished to see Captain Josh standing outside,
and it was several minutes before he realised what was wanted.

"Want to telephone, eh?" he at last queried.

"Sure. Haven't I been tryin' to tell ye that fer the last five
minutes?"

"Very important?"

"Should say so. D'ye s'pose I'd be prowlin' around at this time of the
mornin' if it wasn't?"

It took the storekeeper some time to get Central in the city, and to
become connected with the Police Station. Then the captain stepped to
the 'phone and gave his message. "They're on the island now," he said
in conclusion, "and I'll keep a good watch out. Ye'd better send some
men up at once.

"They're a stupid lot of blockheads down there," he growled, as he hung
up the receiver. "They didn't know where Kidd's Island is--jist think
of that. And they wanted to know how long it would take a motor-boat
to reach the place."

"I guess they'll get a hustle on, though," the storekeeper replied. "I
see there's a reward of one hundred dollars offered for the capture of
those robbers."

"There is!" the captain exclaimed. "How did ye hear that?"

"Why, it was in yesterday morning's paper. Here it is; you can read it
for yourself."

"Well, I declare!" and the captain scratched his head. "I didn't see
that. H'm, 'for the capture of the men who assaulted and robbed an
unknown man at Sheer's Alley,'" he read. "Guess we'll come in fer that
money, or I'm much mistaken."

"But you haven't captured them yet," the store-keeper reminded him.

"We've got them over there, though," the captain retorted.

"But they're not captured yet, remember. You haven't got your hands on
them. I don't believe you can claim that money unless you give those
chaps up to the police."

The captain went back to the boat in a very thoughtful mood. The offer
of the reward placed the whole affair in a new light now. One hundred
dollars! It was just what the scouts needed to help them, and it would
be money well earned, at that. What a pity to let others win the
reward after what he and the boys had done.

All the scouts except Rod had gone home, and this was for the best.
The captain did not want too many around lest they should spoil the
plan he had in his mind. Making the _Roaring Bess_ fast to the wharf,
he and Rod boarded the motorboat and started for home. It took them
only a few minutes