Hours later, when the _Arrow_ was finally clear of the bar, she veered around and made down the coast, pa.s.sing the little bay where the canoe had landed. So occupied with the distressing problem of Hugh's disappearance had her crew been,---for not one of the party could believe him drowned,---and so busy in trying to keep the sloop from being pounded to pieces by the waves while stranded, that no one aboard had noticed the canoe on its return trip across the strait.

When sailing order had been restored and Captain Vinton had ceased to rage and swear at the mischance, his one idea was to return to the waters where he knew the _Petrel_ was cruising. Strange to say, he was the only one who guessed that Hugh had fallen into the hands of "coast-prowlers" as he called them,---with adjectives too lurid to mention!---and was, being held captive lest he betray their plans.

With this idea in mind, he was determined to bring the revenue cutter to Hugh's rescue; he knew the _Petrel_ could cope with the situation.

By an unlooked-for stroke of fortune, he had not gone very far down the coast before he sighted the cutter, and soon he brought the _Arrow_ within hailing distance. He communicated the news to the officers on board, and a sort of council of war took place immediately. Together, they were not long in forming a plan of reprisal.

It was decided that they should proceed forthwith to a small fortress a few miles southward, where a squad of regulars was stationed. The place was called Fort Leigh, but it scarcely deserved the name, being in reality only a temporary camp located on the site of an old fortification which had been a military headquarters during the Seminole wars. Its nearness to the vicinity in which, according to the _Petrel's_ reliable information, the smugglers were operating was the reason why all decided to go there for a.s.sistance.

Lieutenant Driscoll was in command at the fort and he could be counted on to bring the smugglers to terms.

"Why, it's the most high-handed piece of knavery I've heard of for many a long day!" he exclaimed when the information formation was brought to him by Vinton and the others. "Those scoundrels must have their nerve, all right, to kidnap a young fellow merely because they didn't want him to tell tales!"

"It's an outrage!" agreed Norton emphatically. "But we've got to get busy right away, Lieutenant. What are we going to do about it?"

"You're right. We must lose no time," replied Driscoll directly.

"We'll set out this very hour and invade the haunts of gang. They're not many miles from here, I'm told, hiding in the Everglades. Come with me; I'll have my men ready in half an hour.

"You boys'll go along, of course," he added. "If we have to pitch camp for a night or two, while we're hunting them, we'll need you for signalers or scouts, or for picket duty."

"Picket duty?" echoed Chester.

"Yes, both in camp and along the line of march. I presume you all are willing to serve?"

"Yes, sir; we certainly are!" came the eager chorus. Then, abashed at their lack of military formality, the speakers saluted in more soldierly fashion and stood at attention, awaiting orders.

These were soon given, and after a hurried preparation the whole party---with the exception of three privates who remained at the fort---sallied forth against "Bego's gang." It was decided not to go on board the _Petrel_ for the few miles' trip back along the coast, but to use the _Arrow_, instead; for the latter would not be so easily recognized by the smugglers.

"No doubt they'll have pickets posted at different points near Durgan's settlement, if, as we suspect, they have a rendezvous there," said Lieutenant Driscoll. "But we'll camp tonight on Palmetto Key, cross over to the sh.o.r.e the first thing to-morrow morning-----"

"Before daylight?"

"Of course; and then we'll land on 'em, hot-and-heavy. I count on their trying to ship a cargo to-morrow night, when there'll be no moon."

"I understand," said Norton. "Will you permit me to make a suggestion, Lieutenant Driscoll?"

"By all means, my dear sir. What is it?"

"Well, the fact that you mentioned their pickets gave me an idea that it would be well if you sent some of us,---say these scouts and myself, for instance,---over to the mainland to-night to act as pickets for you fellows encamped on Palmetto Key."

"An excellent idea! But how do you propose to communicate with us, in case there should be anything doing to-night?"

"By means of bonfires on the sh.o.r.e, or by wig-wagging with torches."

"I thought you would say that!" exclaimed the lieutenant heartily.

"You mean---you don't approve of that part of the plan?"

Lieutenant Driscoll laughed.

"Oh, not at all! That is, I meant only that I was pleased to discover a civilian who knows anything about signaling."

Amused at the lieutenant's patronizing comment, Norton merely smiled in his good-natured way, though he would fain have answered more sharply. Alec and Billy glanced at him and then at each other, and Alec whispered:

"I guess the lieutenant doesn't know that Boy Scouts are expected to be pretty efficient signalers, does he, Bill?"

To which Billy responded with a snort:

"What he doesn't know would fill a book!"

Fortunately these remarks were not heard by anyone but Dave, for the lieutenant and Norton were arranging a system of signals to be used in case of necessity. Meanwhile, with Vinton at the helm, and the men of Driscoll's company crowded on the deck of the sloop talking with the other scouts, the trim little _Arrow_ was making good speed over the blue water. Billy and Alec walked restlessly up and down the deck, their minds busy with thoughts of Hugh, for whom they felt no little anxiety.

"Wonder what he's doing now?" said Alec.

"I'd give anything to know for sure that he's alive and safe!" was Billy's rueful rejoinder. "I've heard all sorts of stories about what rough-necks like those smugglers do to any one that b.u.t.ts in on their game!"

"You don't believe they'd kill him?"

"No-o, hardly that. But they might----"

"The worst of it is," interrupted Alec, "we don't even know that he's alive. He might have been drowned or-----"

"I won't believe that, Alec! I can't believe it!"

"But you said just now-----"

"I don't know what I said or what I meant!"

"Calm down, Billy, old scout! You're all upset."

"Who wouldn't be, I'd like to know?"

"I don't blame you," said Alec in genuine sympathy. "We all are, you know; but we've got to keep our heads, and we mustn't despair."

"Yes, you're right, Alec."

There was a brief silence, while the two friends stood by the rail watching the low-lying sh.o.r.e slip past them as the _Arrow_ flew onward. Then Billy spoke again, and his voice was steadier.

"We're going to find Hugh and get him out of danger," he said quietly, "so let's get ready to do our level best."

"I'm with you, Bill! That's the stuff. That's the way to feel! Why, it helps a lot not to lose hope at the start! Come on, let's find out what we're going to do first."

Mark Anderson came over to them just then, tugging at his cap to keep it from being blown away.

"We're almost at Palmetto Key now," he said. "Whew! I'll be glad when we're off this boat on dry land,---and _doing_ something! This cruising-around-while-you-wait gets my nerve! I've had about enough of the salt water, anyway. When we get Hugh back, me for the choo-choo cars home to Santario!"

It was a natural impatience, and some of the boys shared it for the time being. They might change their minds later, they agreed, but at present most of them were of Dave's opinion of the cruise---"Heap much trouble, not much fun." However, the prospect of excitement and a possible encounter with smugglers on the outskirts of the Everglades, cheered them considerably.

Gliding through the channels between islands and keys, and keeping out of sight of watchers on the mainland as far as possible, the _Arrow_ finally cast anchor off Palmetto Key nearly opposite Durgan's cove, and the boat made two trips ash.o.r.e with Norton and the boys.