tion of the coast. Each was armed with a revolver and a belt
of cartridges, but orders were given that there should be no shooting
except in self-defense or as a last desperate resort to make "the gang"
deliver up their prisoner.

They landed on a little grass-covered peninsula about a hundred yards
from the cove, and immediately began to look around them for good
station points to observe the movements of "the enemy." The ground in
that locality was somewhat higher than the surrounding expanses, and
therefore less swampy; but there were numerous little zigzag ditches or
watercourses in which the tide rose until it overflowed the banks.

"We'd better not linger here," said Norton.

"When the tide comes in, this little point of land will be under water."

"No, no," said Dave, shaking his head. "Safe here---see!" He pointed
to the dry grass blades on which were no traces of brine. "You stay
here. Me and Billy go get canoe."

"Canoe? Where can you get one?"

Again Dave pointed, this time to a group of three ramshackle cabins
just visible through the bushes. In one of those cabins Hugh was
even then a prisoner. Had Dave or Billy known this, they would not
have hesitated to swim to the place, if need be to say nothing of the
difficulty of going there and "borrowing" a canoe, in which they all
could approach the smugglers' headquarters.

Dave explained that the cabins on the cove were called "Durgan's
settlement," and that the place bore a bad reputation. He added that
to his certain knowledge the revenue men had intended for some time
past to raid the place, and that they had waited only for more proof
that the smugglers foregathered there.

Having assured the others that he and Billy would soon return with
some kind of a canoe or boat, Dave set forth, accompanied by Hugh's
chum. The others, separating, took up their positions where they
were concealed by the long grass, but where they had a good view of
the islands and straits, the cove, and the three cabins.

They were now pickets on duty.

CHAPTER VII

A GATHERING OF THE CLAN

"If there are any of the gang around here, where on earth are they?"

The question came in a whisper from Billy, as he and the Seminole
pursued their way cautiously along the edge of a watercourse, in the
direction of the cabins. Bending forward, sometimes crawling on
hands and knees, they advanced---an inch at every step, it seemed to
impatient Billy.

"Do you