Part 5 (2/2)
”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.
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