it was last night," Jo said, as they
rounded the point, and glided onward noiselessly upon the calm black
water. "Do you see anything in the bay?"

"No; drop the sail," Tom whispered, and he steered the boat slowly
through the suspicious inlet. It was quite dark in the shadow of the
gigantic trees. As the bow grated gently on the sand, Jo stepped out,
followed at once by his companion.

The next moment they were both appalled by an unexpected sound. It was
the soft flap of a sail. As their eyes grew more accustomed to the gloom
of the thick forest trees, they could see dimly a vessel of considerable
size, moored to the very rocks they had been thinking of. It was the
mysterious ship of the night before. It awed them too, to see it lying
so near to them with its white sails all spread, and yet not a sign of
life upon it. There was something weird about it all, and Tom could
hardly prevent the Siwash boy from making an immediate retreat.

They continued to listen for some moments, but all remained still upon
the vessel and upon the shore.

"I wonder is there any one aboard of her?" Jo said in an undertone.

"Keep still!"

In spite of this warning, Tom was himself the first to break the
silence.

"Perhaps they've abandoned her."

"Then where can they be?"

"Do you want to know real bad?" asked Tom.

"Yes!"

"Well, you're good at following a night trail; just you follow that one
back into the island, and you'll stand a fair show of seeing where they
are."

This was humor, and Jo grinned appreciatively.

"Where is the gun?" Tom asked, presently.

"I have it; what are we going to do?"

"We're going to get that sloop out into the Sound, and sail her up to
the city dock at daybreak. I'll show those customs inspectors--"

"They'll say you're the smuggler."

"Well, I'm going to risk it."

"Perhaps they're aboard now--asleep."

"Keep the gun ready, then!"

The boys were making their way towards the sloop along the narrow strip
of sand yet uncovered by the flood tide, but as they spoke, they stopped
with one accord, for they heard a sound from the trees near by.

"Cougar?"

"No," whispered the Indian, "a man!"

"Stand very still, then, and watch what happens."

They could hear the branches being pushed aside softly, and dull
footfalls upon the forest moss.

Presently two dark shapes emerged upon the neighboring rocks. They were
talking rapidly, but the boys could not catch what they were saying.