his heart to almost stop beating for a brief
period; some one or some animal was certainly creeping under the
curtains of the motor boat, seeking to enter!

CHAPTER XI

AN UNINVITED GUEST

Phil knew that Tony must have discovered this significant movement, and
believed it his duty to arouse the one who might be depended on to meet
the situation.

Could it be some wild animal that was trying to get in at their
provisions? Listening, Phil believed he could catch the sound of half
suppressed breathing. Then the fumbling began again, as though a body
were being drawn under the canvas curtain.

It was time he were acting. So he allowed his fingers to give those of
Tony a reassuring squeeze; after which he reached out his arm. His
faithful Marlin must be there on the floor of the cockpit, just where
he had placed it before lying down. And when he felt the familiar
sensation of the cold steel barrel, he knew he had the situation well
in hand.

Suddenly a wild cry arose. It had come from the lips of Tony, as Phil
instantly understood; and was immediately followed by a threshing
sound, as of two bodies rolling and scrambling about on the forward
deck of the little cruiser.

Evidently the fearless little swamp lad had thrown himself on the
intruder, whom his keen eyes had made out to be a human being, and not
a panther, as Phil had at one time suspected might prove to be the case.

Phil immediately scrambled off his seat and to his feet. It was not
actually dark under the cover, for the moon still shone. He could just
manage to see the tumbling figures on the deck, as Tony clung to the
unknown intruder with the tenacity of a cat.

Larry had rolled into the cockpit, and was trying his best to disengage
himself from his blanket, which he had somehow managed to get twisted
around his bulky figure. So far as any help from that quarter might
go, there was no use expecting it; for Larry was certainly in a
dreadful panic, not knowing what it all meant; and perhaps thinking
that he was about to be kidnapped.

"Don't hit me, massa; I gives in, 'deed an' 'deed I does!" wailed a
voice that could only belong to a terrified negro.

"Lie still, you!" cried Phil, thinking it best to take part in the row.
"I've got you covered with a gun, and can blow the top of your head
off. Not another move, now, d'ye hear!"

Of course the intruder had no means of knowing that those in the
tied-up motor boat were mere boys. H