Part 2 (1/2)
”There weren't any men,” exclaimed Marian with sudden conviction
”That boy's taken our boat and roay”
”Yes, there were men,” insisted Lucile ”I just saw a track in the sand There it is” She pointed to the beach
An inspection of the sand showed three sets of footprints leading to the water's edge where a boat had been grounded These same footprints were about the spot where the stolen boat had been launched
”There's one queer person a theand one short, also one shoe is smaller than the other We'd know that man if we ever saw him”
”Listen!” said Marian suddenly
Out of the silence that ensued there came the faint pop-pop-pop of a motorboat
”Behind the point,” said Lucile
”Our motorboat!” whispered Marian
Without a word Lucile started down the beach, then up the creek She was followed close by Marian Tripped by creeping vines, torn at by underbrush, swished by wet ferns, they in time arrived at the point where the motorboat had been moored
”Gone!” whispered Lucile
”We've been deceived and robbed,” said Marian mournfully ”Deceived by a boy His co in the sea so ould find him As soon as ere asleep, he crept away and towed the schooner down the river, then he flashed a signal and the others caht have left us a rowboat, at least!” she exclai the sky they sat down to consider The loss of their motorboat was a serious matter They had but a scant supply of food, and while their aunt ht not If she did not, they had no way of leaving the island
”We'd better go down the beach,” said Marian ”They ed to land, then perhaps we could so we can do,” said Lucile ”It's a good thing we had our food supply in our tent, or they would have taken that”
”Speaking of food,” said Marian, ”I'ry We'd better have our breakfast before we start”
CHAPTER II
A BOLD STROKE REWARDED
Bacon grease was spilled and toast burned in the preparation of breakfast, which was devoured in gulps Then, with soirls hurried away up the beach in the direction fro of their stolenat last to the place where sandy shore was replaced by ragged bowlders, they began led mass of underbrush, fallen tree-trunks and ferns, across the point of land which cut them off from the next sandy beach
”This would be splendid if it wasn't so serious,” said Marian as they reached the crest of the ridge and prepared to descend ”I always did like ru about in an unexplored wilderness Look at that fallen yellow-pine; eight feet through if it is an inch; and the ferns are alh to hide it And look at those tahts Wouldn't they make a picture?”
”Not just now; co with the jungle ”Let's get down to the beach and see what's there
There's a long stretch of beach, I think, maybe half a ht discover soht be discovered first”
To descend a rock-ribbed hill, overgroith tangled underbrush and buried in decaying tree-trunks, is hardly easier than to ascend it
Both girls were thoroughly out of breath as they finally parted the branches of a fir tree and peered through to where the beach, a yellow ribbon of sand, circled away to the north
”Not there,” whispered Marian