"It's all done," Captain Sam had exclaimed, as he threw the wheel of the _Nancy Jane_ over and came up into the wind, but when he looked to see the _Spray_, she was not there. Not so much as a sc.r.a.p of a sail nor the merest fragment of a hull, absolutely nothing.

Captain Sam was so dumfounded he could only gasp and stare vacantly at the place where, by all rights, the _Spray_ ought to be.

The colonel and the squire, who had no preconceived ideas about the pa.s.sage between the islands, solved the problem at once; but not so the captain.

"They've gone through there, you idiot," exclaimed the squire, growing red in the face. "Where else can they be? They can't fly, can they?"

The captain groaned, as one whose pride had been cruelly smitten.

"To think," he muttered, "that I've sailed these waters, man and boy, for forty years, only to be fooled by a parcel of schoolboys from the city.

Why, every boy in Southport knows you can't run a sailboat through between Heron and Spring Islands. There ain't enough water there at high tide to drown a sheep."

"Well, it seems they got through easy enough," answered the colonel.

"That's it! That's it!" responded the captain, warmly. "They do say as how fools rush in where angels don't durst to go, and sometimes the fools blunder through all right. And here's these boys gone and done what I'd a sworn a million times couldn't be done."

"Yes, and we probably can get through, too, if we only go ahead and try, instead of lying here like jellyfish," exclaimed the squire. "Cap'n Sam, seems as though you weren't so dreadful anxious to catch up with them youngsters as you might be. P'r'aps you might have told Mrs. Warren back there a few things that might explain this 'ere delay."

"Yes, and if them boys can go through there, I, for one, don't see what's to hinder us," chimed in the colonel. "Cap'n Sam, I don't see what we're a-hanging back for."

And so, his pride humbled, and too mortified to stand by his own better judgment, Captain Sam reluctantly yielded to their importunities, and pointed the nose of the _Nancy Jane_ in toward the opening amid the rocks.

"It can't be done," he said, doggedly, "but if you say that I am not trying to do my duty as a sworn officer of the town, I'll just show you.

Only don't blame me if we're hung up here hard and fast for twelve hours."

The _Nancy Jane_, like a horse that is being driven into danger that it somehow apprehends, seemed almost intelligent in its reluctance to enter the stretch of reef-strewn water. It b.u.mped and sc.r.a.ped its way from one rock to another, balked at this ledge and that, and, finally, after an extra amount of pushing and pulling by the three men, jammed itself fast on a reef studded with barnacles and snail-sh.e.l.ls, and refused to budge one way or another. In vain they tried to bulldoze and cajole, to push and to pull, to plead with and to denounce the obstinate _Nancy Jane_.

Stolid and deaf alike to entreaty and expostulation, the boat squatted down upon the reef like an ugly fat duck, comfortably disposed for the night and refusing to be disturbed.

"I told you so!" roared the captain, now aroused to his rights as skipper, and finding himself thus exasperatingly vindicated as to the impa.s.sability of the channel. "We're hung up fast for the night, for the next twelve hours, till next flood. Then, if Lem Cobb is living in his fishing-shack on Spring Island, and will lend us a hand and a few pieces of joist to pry with, mebbe we'll get off, and mebbe we won't."

The colonel and the squire boiled inwardly; but as it was apparent they had only themselves to blame, they felt it useless to engage in discussion with the indignant captain. So they wisely remained silent, and left him to consume his wrath alone.

"Well," he said, finally, "I for one am curious to see just where those young rascals are; and if you're of the same mind you can satisfy your curiosity by coming ash.o.r.e with me." And the captain waded off to the rocks of Spring Island and clambered up the bank, closely followed by the colonel and the squire.

"There they go, slipping along as slick as eels," exclaimed the captain, as he and his panting companions achieved the ascent of the highest bit of rock on Spring Island and looked down the bay. "They're off down among the islands," he continued, "and here we stand like natural-born idiots and bite our fingers. If ever I get into a mess like this again, I'll resign my office of constable and hire out to Noddy Perkins for a clam-digger." But the colonel and the squire, too angry and chagrined for words, stayed not to listen to the captain's denunciation.

They turned and walked rapidly in the direction of the fishing-shack, the only shelter the island afforded; while the captain, standing out in relief upon the rock, like some disappointed Napoleon, was the last solitary object that the boys saw as, looking astern from the _Spray_, the little island faded from their view into the twilight.

CHAPTER XX.

AMONG THE ISLANDS

The yacht _Spray_, with six jubilant boys aboard, sailed slowly away from Heron and Spring Islands, shaping its course for a group of outer islands of some considerable size, about two miles away. It was nearly seven o'clock, but the southerly breeze had not wholly died with the going down of the sun, and the tide, which had just begun to ebb, was favourable.

"I think we can get across to-night," said George Warren. "This wind is going to hold for some hours yet and maybe all night; and we know our way into Cold Harbour at any hour of the twenty-four. I don't think Captain Sam will start to run out of the Little Reach at all to-night, for when the tide drops there are some bad ledges all along that thoroughfare, and, besides, he won't want to run the risk of drifting out here in the bay, in case the wind should drop. We shall have twelve hours start of him, anyway, and once among the islands we can keep out of sight for days."

"I'd have given something to see the colonel and the squire when they found we had slipped away from them at the very moment they thought they had us," said young Joe. "Didn't they look funny, standing up there on the rock, watching us sail away?"

"Captain Sam has my sympathy," said Henry Burns, dryly, and the very thought of the disappointed trio arguing it out together sent the boys into fits of laughter. They fairly rolled over on the seats and hugged one another.

"It's the richest joke of the season," said young Joe.

And so, for the time being, in their elation, the consciousness that they were runaways, fleeing from possible arrest, was forgotten. The stars came out, and a lighthouse far and near gave them their course. The water gleamed with phosph.o.r.escence, and the yacht _Spray_ left a wake of gleaming silver and gold and flashing jewels. By and by the moon came up out of the sea and threw a radiant path across the waters, and the islands ahead stood out in huge black shadow.

It was glorious sailing, with the soft summer night air blowing in their faces; and they sang as they sailed, and yo-hoed all the sea choruses they knew, and felt so free and irresponsible that the yacht _Spray_, as though it absorbed some of their spirit, rolled along in a merry, swinging fashion, rocking gently from billow to billow, dipping and tossing in time to the music.

The still sh.o.r.es of Eagle Island rang with their songs as they rounded to in Cold Harbour somewhere near midnight, and came to anchor close to sh.o.r.e in the deep water, within the shadow of the hemlocks that rose up, tall and black, almost from the water's edge, where the tide swashed gently against the rocks. High up in the thick branches of the great trees some fish-hawks, startled by the unwonted noise, rose up from their nests and uttered shrill, piercing screams of fright. And this was their only welcome, for on all the island there was no other sign of life.

"It's fairly certain they won't pursue us to-night," said George. "But it won't do to be caught napping. We've got to set watch regularly every night now, and we might as well begin to-night. Somebody's got to walk out on the point of rocks yonder and look out for sails. Two will be enough till morning. We will split the time from now till six into two three-hour watches."

"I'll begin it," said Bob.

"My next," said Tom, not to be outdone by his chum.

Bob rowed ash.o.r.e in the little tender, and set off at once for a point of rocks some half-mile distant, which commanded a view of the bay. The others were sound asleep by the time he was half-way there.

When Tom awoke, about seven hours later, it was broad daylight and the sun was streaming into the hatchway. He scrambled out in a hurry as Bob's voice hailed him from the deck.

"Hulloa! Hulloa!" came the voice. "Are you fellows going to sleep all day?"

"Why didn't you come back and rouse me to take my turn?" asked Tom, reproachfully.

"Well, I wasn't sleepy," answered Bob, "and it grew light soon, and I got to watching a mink fishing for his family, and carrying cunners to them along the rocks, and I thought I'd let you sleep. It's tough to wake up, you know, when one has just dropped off. Come on, we'll take a swim now.

The water is fine."

Tom bared a muscular young form, and he and Bob dived off the rail of the _Spray_, making such a splashing and commotion in the water and bellowing so like young sea-lions, that the others gave up trying to turn over for another nap, and came sprawling out of the cabin, diving overboard, one after another, to join them. Then they had a race ash.o.r.e, which was won by Tom, with Bob and Henry Burns a close second; after which they lay on the beach sunning themselves, and then swam back to the yacht for breakfast.

"There's not a sail in sight, and the whole bay is as smooth as gla.s.s,"

Bob had announced on his arrival; and, as not a breath of wind was yet stirring, there was no need of setting watch for the present. So they all sat down to hot coffee and griddle-cakes, and ate like wolves.

After breakfast they went ash.o.r.e to explore the island, roaming about like young savages, leaving their clothing piled in a heap in the tender.

Every now and then, as the humour seized them, they raced down to the sh.o.r.e, wherever they were, ran along on the fine white beaches, and cooled themselves in the clear, still water.

They had it all to themselves, for n.o.body lived on this small island, the fishermen on the mainland or neighbouring larger islands coming over in the late summer only, to cut the gra.s.s and make the hay.

Then they went back to the tender and dressed, and Henry Burns, daunted at nothing, tried to climb one of the giant hemlocks to a fish-hawk's nest, but gave it up when the birds screamed in his ears and beat at him with their powerful wings.

They had dug some clams at the low tide in the forenoon and put them away, covered with wet seaweed. Now, shortly after their noon luncheon, as the tide flooded, they got out the lines from a locker in the _Spray_ and tried the fishing in Cold Harbour. There were plenty of small harbour fish, flounders out in the middle where the water was muddy, and cunners and small rock-cod in among the ledges. They soon caught a basket of these, cleaned them, and put them away, covered with seaweed, like the clams.

Then, toward the end of the afternoon, as the bay was still calm, they set out along the sh.o.r.e and gathered driftwood, which they threw in a great pile on a flat, clean ledge. As supper-time came, they set this heap afire and let it burn for an hour or two, until the great flat ledge was at a white heat. Then they made a broom of some branches of hemlock, and swept the ledge clean of ashes, and brought the clams and poured them out on the ledge, covering them all with clean, damp seaweed till there rose clouds of steam, and, after a time, an appetizing odour.

The fish they cooked in much the same way, wrapping them in big green leaves and setting them upon the hot stones to bake.

Then, as evening came on, they built the fire anew close by, for a fire is the cheeriest of companions in a strange place, and sat feasting on steamed clams and fish, with a great pot of coffee filling all the air with a most delicious fragrance. They lolled about the fire and ate, till even slim Henry Burns said he felt like an alderman. They told stories by the firelight, and stretched out at ease till sleep nearly overtook them as they lay there; for the day had been brimful of exertion. By and by, long after the stars were out, and a gentle breeze from the south, coming up softly from among the islands, just rippled the water, they rowed out to the _Spray_, Tom returning ash.o.r.e again to begin the night's watch.

Then, later in the night, came George Warren's turn to watch, and he stayed it out till morning, for, with all the fun of the day, there was something that would keep turning over and over in his brain, and which took away the sleepy feeling and left in its stead a feeling of unhappiness; a sense of something wrong. His father would have said it was conscience, but George wrestled long and hard through the morning hours to avoid recognizing it as that, for conscience would say, if recognized, that it was all wrong, what they were doing,-and George Warren wanted to think he was having a good time.