ehensively all this time for an
explanation of the island operator's protracted silence.

CHAPTER XXI

The Hostage

Meanwhile the four prisoners held a furtive conference among themselves,
and after Cub had finished his telegraphic conversation with the Canadian
amateur, the leader of the worthy quartet addressed Mr. Baker as follows:

"Looky here, Mister man, we've decided that we're not going to stay here
any longer. You ain't got nothin' on us, and you haven't got any reason
to hold us up with those guns. We haven't done nothin' criminal, and we
don't intend to be held for crim'nals. We'll tell you where your kids are
and ev'rything'll be all right if you keep off o' our islands. We own
all these islands here, and we're not goin' to 'low no trespassin'."

"The main trouble with your proposition is that we have no way of
knowing whether you're telling the truth," answered Mr. Baker. "Can you
tell us where the boys are and then prove that they're there before we
let you go?"

"We c'n tell you where they are and you must take our word fer it," was
the fellow's reply. "They're over on the first island in that direction,
pointing to the southwest. You can't miss it. It's an island about the
same size as this one, all by itself. You'll find 'em there if somebody
hasn't taken 'em off."

"No, that won't do," replied Mr. Baker. "We can't afford to let you go."

"All right, then, let me tell you something more," said the spokesman of
the strange quartet, whose self-confidence and courage seemed to be on
the increase. "Do you see that stake there?"--indicating the visible end
of a piece of wood similar to a guy-rope stake, that had been driven into
the ground at a point midway between the two hostile conferees.

"I see it very plainly," Mr. Baker replied.

"Do you know what it means?"

"I must confess my ignorance."

"Well, I have a surprise for you. There are other stakes driven about a
hundred feet apart clear across this island east and west. That is the
dividing line between the United States and Canada. You are a Canadian,
ain't you?"

"I am."

"Well, that line there means that you are now in Canada and we are in
the United States. If you come over here to take us you are invading
the United States. If you shoot at us, you are shooting across the
border line at citizens of the United States. I defy you to commit any
such act."

Mr. Baker was "almost taken off his feet" by the shrewdness of this