of the derelict, standing at this time of nearly full tide, well in the
water.

When they changed their course, so as to swing around to leeward of the
wreck, Ned considered that it was time he and his comrades crept along
in the shelter of the bulwark, and made ready to receive the uninvited
guests.

First of all, they must allow them to come aboard, and also secure the
boat. Any premature action was bound to ruin the whole affair. If one of
the men got away, or the boat was set adrift, it would avail the
prisoners of the hulk nothing. They wanted a means for leaving the
hostile land, and the mere capture of these two men, who evidently
intended to take them by surprise, would not satisfy them at all.

So Ned and his mates made themselves as small as they could, crouching
there in the gloom of the night. They could hear the splash of the
waves beating against the other side of the old vessel, and these
constant sounds served to hide all else in the way of noise. When the
boat collided with the planking of the wreck, they only knew of its
arrival through the slight quiver that was conveyed to their alert
senses.

And now they saw one of the dark figures clambering hurriedly over the
broken bulwarks. Strange to say, he did not seem to be at all particular
as to what he was doing. There was no skulking movement, no crouching,
and looking about, such as one would expect to observe under the
circumstances. Ned noted this with surprise. He even began to entertain
serious doubts concerning the absolute truth of the theory he had
previously formed regarding the identity of the two men. Surely, if they
belonged to the force that had once before been repulsed when trying to
board the wreck, they would know of the presence of the scouts there,
and do everything within their power not to let the defenders know of
their secret coming.

"All right, Captain Bill!" they heard the man who had jumped aboard say;
and that too was a strange thing; had they believed the wreck to be
utterly abandoned, these mysterious parties could not have acted in a
more singular manner.

Now the second man was climbing over, in which act he was assisted by
the one who had come first, and who seemed to be a more agile chap.

At least the boat was secure, for Ned could see that the first visitor
was engaged in fastening the painter to a cleat that chanced to be near
by, and which he seemed to find in a remarkably able manner, as though
he might be