is mouth to say something, when Ned lifted a hand and gave a
low sibilant hiss.

"'Sh! don't say anything more, but drop down in this grass and lie low;
because I'm sure I heard voices right then, also a husky cigarette
cough. Down it is, boys!"

He set them a good example by dropping flat and hugging the ground. They
had at the time been standing more than knee deep in lush grass that
grew beyond the woods, and where the salt water never reached, save in
flying spray possibly. All that was necessary, therefore, in order to
conceal themselves, was to fall on their knees and then straighten out
at full length. Even the two guides did this same thing, for they must
have caught the sound of approaching voices at about the same time Ned
Nestor did.

CHAPTER VIII.

TWO KINDS OF WOODCRAFT.

All of them lay there motionless. Long practice in this trick had made
the boys almost perfect. What they had learned in play when in camp came
into good service under other and more strenuous conditions, as is often
the case. No boy can ever tell when the information he picks up day by
day as a scout may prove a valuable asset, determining some knotty
problem he faces.

As Ned had said, the sound of voices could be plainly heard now. It came
in the shape of a murmur that differed from the noise of the fretting
sea near by. And no doubt each scout made up his mind that it must be
carried to their ears with the breeze, which, coming from almost behind
them, would indicate that the unknown parties were advancing from that
quarter.

Louder grew the sounds. Then there was a plain rustling of the
undergrowth; and when Jack cautiously raised his head just a little, he
was enabled to glimpse a trio of men standing there on the border of the
wood, looking seaward.

Perhaps they, too, had seen the far-distant blur that marked the
position of the mysterious fleet, and were exchanging comments about
it. None of the concealed boys could say as to this, because, while they
could hear the murmur of their heavy voices, it was next to impossible
to make out more than a word here and there.

One thing pleased Ned very much. When he first noted the direction from
whence these three rough men had come, he feared lest they may have run
upon the trail of his party and were following the same. He now knew
that in so far as this was concerned his fears were without foundation,
and that the strangers did not dream of others being in the near