Part 42 (1/2)

”Oh, Lesher wanted to be leader, you could see that right off,”

declared Tom. ”And Baxter will do anything to make it disagreeable for us boys,” he continued.

”Well, there is one satisfaction,” said Nellie. ”We haven't Baxter with us.”

”If only a s.h.i.+p would stop here and take us away!” sighed Dora. To her it seemed like an age since they had landed on the seven islands.

”After this we must keep a regular guard,” announced d.i.c.k. ”Unless we do that, somebody may play us foul when we least expect it.”

Slowly the day wore away. By the aid of the spygla.s.s they could see the sailors still on the deck of the wreck. n.o.body appeared to go ash.o.r.e.

That night it fell to Sam's lot to be on guard from nine to ten o'clock. The camp-fire was left burning brightly, and the youngest Rover sat near it on a log, a gun in his lap.

”No wild beast shall surprise me,” he told himself, and kept his eyes on the jungle back of the house.

His time for guard duty had almost come to an end when a noise down on the beach attracted his attention. By the faint light he made out a raft, which had just come in, bearing the figures of two sailors.

”Stop!” he called out. ”Do not come closer at your peril!”

”Don't shoot!” called back one of the sailors. ”Don't shoot! We mean no harm.”

Sam had backed up toward the house, and now he called to those within.

He was soon joined by Captain Blossom, d.i.c.k, and several of the others.

”Who is it?” asked the captain, as he came forth, pistol in hand.

”Two of the sailors from the wreck, I think.”

”Don't shoot us, captain,” called one of the men. ”We are unarmed and want to talk with you.”

”They are Gibson and Marny,” said Captain Blossom. ”They were generally pretty good sort of fellows. I reckon we have nothing to fear from them.”

”Are you alone?” called out d.i.c.k.

”Yes.”

”Then come up to the fire. But mind, no treachery.”

”We don't wonder at your being on guard,” said the sailor named Gibson, a tall, thin Yankee. ”The others treated you like so many dogs.”

”We have deserted Lesher,” put in Marny. ”We came over here on the raft to see if you wouldn't take us in.”

”Were you alone?” asked Captain Blossom.

”No, we had Hackenhaven with us. But he fell overboard just after we left the wreck, and the sharks caught him,” answered Gibson, with a bitter shake of his face.

”What did Lesher say to your leaving?” asked Tom.

”He didn't know it until after we were a hundred yards or more from the wreck. You see, he and the others were drinking in the cabin, so we got away without much trouble,” answered Marny. ”They might have shot at us, but it was too dark for them. We had a hard pull to get over here, and when poor Hackenhaven was gobbled up both of us felt bad, I can tell you.”