"Why not follow the beach around?" George suggested.

"Now, that wouldn"t be a bad scheme. It"s so dark that if we kept low, they couldn"t see us moving. And, besides, it"ll save a lot of scrambling through that brush, without the help of the lantern. All right; come along then, boys. And let"s remember to keep as quiet as an owl in the daytime."

Saying this in a whisper, Jack led the way, the others following along in Indian file at his heels. Whenever he halted for any reason, both George and Jimmy would also draw up instantly. And no doubt, on every occasion of this sort, their excited pulses would cause their hearts to beat like trip-hammers.

Just as they had guessed, there was a point of land running out all of seventy feet into the water, and hiding the next bayou. Sometimes these extend from the main Florida sh.o.r.e around Barnes Sound like the fingers of a human hand. Again they will be in the form of reefs, composed of small, sharp-edged "c.o.o.n oysters, that stick up out of the salt water at low tide, but are entirely submerged when the flood comes on.

Before reaching the extreme point, Jack concluded that it would be wise for them to pa.s.s over here, rather than risk discovery by going to the limit of the cape; where, with the white sand to serve as a background to their darker bodies, some one on the watch might discover their approach, and give warning.

"Jack, I see it!" whispered George, presently.

"The boat, you mean," replied the other, in the same guarded tone. "Yes, I"ve caught her, too. But everything seems to be dark around."

"I wonder now, have they deserted the ould craft," suggested Jimmy.

"Not so loud, Jimmy; we"ve got to find that out for ourselves," Jack went on.

"By going aboard, you mean, don"t you, Jack?" from eager George.

"There"s no other way; and if these people are holding our chum a prisoner, we"ve just got to let them know we object to such a high-handed business. Are you both willing to stand back of me, George, Jimmy?"

"Every time," George replied; and Jack could easily imagine how his excitable chum must be nerved up to the highest tension.

"Ye c"n count on me, through thick and thin, sink or shwim, survive or perish," Jimmy put in, as solemnly as though he might be holding up his hand, and subscribing to the oath before the court.

"Then come on, and we"ll take the bull by the horns," said Jack, moving forward through the thin growth that marked the spit of land near its terminus.

"And don"t let"s forget, fellows, that we"re armed to the teeth,"

whispered George, as he set out to trail close behind his leader.

In this manner, then, the three motor boat boys crawled across to the sh.o.r.e of the other little bayou, bent upon making a bold move looking to rescuing their comrade, if so be Josh were found to be a prisoner in the hands of the strangers.

CHAPTER IX.

FOR THE SAKE OF CHUM JOSH.

It seemed to Jack Stormways that all his senses must be on the alert as never before. Even the slightest sound caught his attention--the rustling of a prowling "c.o.o.n through the saw palmetto scrub; the splash of some fish jumping out of the water of the lagoon; and from a distance came strange, querulous noises which he guessed must proceed from some bird roost, situated in the depths of a swamp, although Jack knew very little about such places from actual experience.

Having pa.s.sed partly over the point of land, they could just begin to make out the boat that lay in the next bayou. And George"s imagination worked overtime, so that he was positive he could recognize the familiar outlines of the craft that looked like the _Tramp_.

Once Jack came to a stop. Possibly he only meant to take an observation, in order to make sure that the coast was clear; but the other boys at once jumped to the conclusion that he had seen some sign of trouble ahead.

"What is it?" whispered George, making a nervous forward thrust with his gun, as though eager to mix up, if so be one came along; while Jimmy edged up on the other side, quivering with anxiety, too.

Jack bent his head lower before making a reply; for he knew the danger of allowing his voice to rise above the faintest murmur. The lapping of the waves on the sandy beach close by, together with those strange sounds from the interior, might go far toward m.u.f.fling speech, but if suspicious ears were on the alert it were folly to take unnecessary chances.

"Nothing. I was only looking. All seems quiet, boys, so come on," he said; and no doubt the throbbing hearts of the other lads eased down in the strain.

So once more they started to advance, with the border of the lagoon now close at hand. All of them could by this time make out the fact that the boat must be anch.o.r.ed in shallow water near the sh.o.r.e. Perhaps those aboard had neglected to provide themselves with a d.i.n.ky; and in consequence had to rely upon finding some place where they could push the power boat in, by loosening the anchor cable.

The light breeze that caused the waves to gently roll up on the sand was coming from the southwest. Hence it was that the boat lay almost stern on, showing part of her starboard quarter.

When they had reached a point close to the water"s edge, the three boys again instinctively came to a halt, to once more scrutinize the craft.

No lantern hung there to serve as a riding light; it was not needed, as would have been the case in a crowded harbor. Faint, indeed, the chance of any other boat running them down here in this secluded spot.

George had unconsciously laid a hand on the arm of Jack as they thus crouched and gazed. His fingers suddenly tightened their hold.

"Oh!" he exclaimed, "did you see that?"

""Sh!" breathed Jack, hastily. "Yes, I was watching. Some one brushed aside the curtain that covers the cabin bullseye, and light shone through. That settles one thing, George."

"That they"re aboard!" echoed the other.

"Yes."

"But, we go on, don"t we, Jack?" begged the impetuous George.

"I should say, yes; for we believe our chum is being held a prisoner on that same boat. Make your mind easy, both of you; it isn"t going to get away from us now. We"ve gone too far to hold back."

"That"s the stuff!" whispered the delighted George; while Jimmy muttered his a.s.sent, which was none the less fervent because the words were inaudible.

Once before, on a cruise the motor boys were making on the waters of the faraway North, they had had a stirring encounter with some lawless men who were fleeing from officers sent to apprehend them. On that occasion Jack and his chums had managed to give considerable a.s.sistance to the legal authorities; and it was largely through their work that the fugitives were finally apprehended.

No doubt this circ.u.mstance must have loomed up large in the memory of George right then and there. He had long ago made up his mind that the mysterious persons on board the boat that looked like the _Tramp_ were a couple of rascals, who felt afraid of the cruisers for some reason or other. And now, that it seemed they had set upon poor Josh, making him prisoner, and carrying him aboard, the conditions became darker than ever.

It was the greatest mystery the boys had ever struck. Even Jack, with his usual keen intellect, was utterly unable to determine what these men could want with the missing crew of the _Comfort_; Josh, a fellow who seldom made enemies among his companions, and simply devoid of evil intent.

Perhaps they had discovered him creeping through the scrub, either to get a shot at some sh.o.r.e birds or to examine the anch.o.r.ed power boat, in which he knew George at least was deeply interested. If they were men fleeing from the sheriff, his actions might have looked so suspicious to them that they were impelled to pounce on him without giving warning.

Many were the explanations that surged through the excited brains of the three lads in the brief s.p.a.ce of time occupied in reaching the sh.o.r.e of the second lagoon.

As they stood there, George and Jimmy content to follow the lead of Jack, no matter what that might mean, a low murmur came to them. It was as if those inside the cabin of the boat might be conversing among themselves.

Jack listened intently. Perhaps he even entertained a faint hope that he might hear the high-pitched voice of Josh above the rest; for the tall boy had a way of using the rising inflection when in the least excited.

But the fact of the cabin being closed prevented his discovering any marked difference between the tones of those who were speaking.

George and Jimmy were waiting to see what means their leader would adopt, in order to gain the deck of the little craft. The boat lay at a distance of perhaps twenty feet from the edge of the water. Judging from the fact that the beach was sandy there could be no question but what, if they picked their way, they might be able to wade out, without getting in any deeper than hip-high at most.

When Jack hesitated for that half minute, with the little waves crawling up to his feet, it was because he wished to make sure that there was no one upon the stern of the swinging power boat, to discover their advance.

Having made sure of this fact, he would boldly push forward, entering the water, regardless of the fact that their shoes must suffer in consequence.

When he took the first step, the others were alongside. They fancied that the time had gone by for them to follow _after_ Jack; if a battle were imminent, their place must be on the firing line, where numbers would count for something. For did they not grip weapons as well as Jack; and were they not just as anxious to effect the rescue of their missing chum?