boys would eagerly welcome a chance
to keep their jackets dry.

"There are three of the lanterns, Ned," Jack was saying, as all of them
strained their eyes to see.

"Yes, and back of the same, I can get glimpses of other fellers walkin'
along at a smart clip," Jimmy announced.

"Yes, there must be nearly a dozen in that bunch," Frank gave as his
opinion.

"Enough to give us two apiece all around," Jimmy told them, just as
though he might be a very bloodthirsty individual, instead of a
peace-loving scout, if let alone. "And it'd be a saving of ammunition,
if we could fix things so that one bullet would do for both. Because I
take it you mean to open fire, if so be they persist in tryin' to board
with us, eh, Ned?"

"We have no other course open to us," replied the leader of the scouts,
sadly; for he did not at all fancy being forced into a fight against his
will. "But everybody, remember to be as careful as you can, and not shed
blood unless there is nothing else to be done. Then aim to wound all you
can. I'd hate to have to think I'd taken any man's life, no matter how
much he deserved it."

"H'm! mebbe that's all right," grumbled Jimmy; "but when your back's up
agin the wall, and you got to do it, or go under yourself, what's to
hinder? We want to be let alone, and go our way. If they won't agree,
but try to knock us over, or make us prisoners, so they can keep us here
month in and month out on a steady diet of fish and water why, for one,
I ain't agoin' to stand for it, you hear me. Ned, you tell that bad lot
they'd better hold up if they know what's good for 'em; because I've got
me gun ready, and there's light enough for us to see where to aim."

The men with the lanterns had by this time come so close to the wreck
lying half out on the beach, and with the incoming waves lapping the
rest of the bulk, that another minute would have seen them starting to
clamber aboard.

They were heading straight for the break in the stern, which would
indicate that all of them must be familiar with their surroundings. No
doubt, they had been on the stranded whaler many a time since it was
cast up there on the beach.

So Ned called out, trying to throw as much of authority in his voice as
was possible at the time.

"Stop where you are, men!" he shouted, abruptly.

The lanterns no longer advanced. Evidently those who carried them were
trying to see the party who had given this peremptory command. They
could be heard tal