"WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF IT?"
The _Skipjack_ was all ready for them and no delay was had in making a
start back to Musky Bay, where, it will be remembered, the boys had left
their boat to be repaired. A brief stop was made at the Pine Island
hotel and then the trip was resumed.
"Wonder where Judson and his crowd have gone to?" pondered Jack, as they
moved rapidly over the water.
"One thing sure, they never started back home in the _Speedaway this_
morning," said Billy. "The water is like glass, and there's not a breath
of wind."
"Look, there's a handsome motor boat off yonder," exclaimed Jack
presently. He pointed to a low, black craft, some distance behind them
and closer in to the shore.
"She's making fast time," said Bill.
"Maybe she wants to give us a race," suggested Noddy.
"I'm afraid we wouldn't stand much chance with her," laughed Captain
Simms.
They watched the black boat for a time, but she appeared to slacken
speed as she drew closer, as if those in charge of her had no desire to
come any nearer to the _Skipjack_ than they were.
"That's odd," remarked Jack. "There is evidently nothing the matter with
her engine, but for all that they don't seem to want to pass us. That's
the first fast boat I ever saw act that way."
"It does seem queer," said Captain Simms, and suddenly his brow clouded.
"Could it be possible----" he exclaimed, and stopped short.
Jack looked at him in a questioning way.
"Could what be possible, sir?" he asked.
"Why, that Judson and the others are on board that black craft?"
"Ginger! That never occurred to me!" cried Jack; "and yet, if they were
following us to find out where you are located that would be just the
sort of way in which they would behave."
"So I was thinking," said Captain Simms thoughtfully. "However, we can
soon find out."
He opened a locker and took out his binoculars. Then he focused them on
the black craft.
"Well?" questioned Jack, as the captain laid them down again.
"There's a man at the wheel, but he isn't the least like your
descriptions of your men," said the captain.
"What does he look like?" questioned Billy.
"He's rather tall and has a full black beard," was the answer.
"Then it's not one of Judson's crowd," said Jack with conviction.
"I guess we are all the victims of nerves to-day," smiled the captain.
They swung round a point and threaded the channel that led among the
shoaly waters of Musky Bay. The point shut out any rearward view of the
black motor boat and they saw no more of it. Captain Simms invited them
up to the house he occupied, which was isolated from the half dozen or
so small habitations that made up the settlement. It was plainly
furnished and the living room was littered with papers and documents.
"What made you select Musky Bay as a retreat?" asked Jack.
"I come from up in this part of the country," rejoined Captain Simms,
"and I thought this would be a good quiet place to hide myself till my
work was complete. But it seems," he added, with a smile, "that I may
have been mistaken."
"Oh, I don't know," replied Jack. "Those fellows would never think of
trailing you here. I guess they think you are still in Clayton."
"Let us hope so, anyway," said the captain, and here the discussion
ended.
Soon after they said good-by, promising to run over again before long.
Their boat was all ready for them. A good job had been done with it.
"It looks as good as new," commented Jack.
"She's a fine boat," said Billy.
"A regular pippin," agreed Noddy.
"Well, young men, your-craft-will-carry-you-through many a blow yet.
She's as nice a little-ship-as-I-ever-saw."
"I guess he says that of every boat that brings him a job," grinned
Noddy, as Jack paid the man, and they got ready to get under way. A
light breeze had risen, and they were soon skimming along, taking great
care to avoid shoals and sand-banks. By standing up to steer, Jack was
easily able to trace the deeper water by its darker color and they got
out of the bay without trouble.
As they glided round the point, which had shrouded the black motor boat
from their view when they entered the bay, Billy, who was in the bow,
uttered a sharp cry and pointed. The others looked in the direction he
indicated, realizing that something unusual was up.
"Well, look at that, will you?" exclaimed Jack.
The black motor-boat was anchored close in to the shore. Her dinghy lay
on the beach, showing that somebody had just landed. Clambering up the
steep and rocky sides of the point were three figures. When the boys
caught sight of them the trio had just gained the summit of the rocky
escarpment.
They crouched behind rocks, as if fearing that they would be seen, and
one of them drew from his pocket a pair of field glasses. He gazed
through these down at the settlement of Musky Bay, which lay below. Then
he turned to his companions and made some remark and each in turn took
up the glasses.
"What do you make of it?" asked Billy, turning to Jack.
The wireless boy shook his head dubiously.
"I'll tell you what _I_ make of it," he said. "Just this. Those three
figures up yonder are Judson, Donald and Jarrow. They trailed us here in
that motor boat but were too foxy to round the point. When they saw us
turn into the bay, they knew they could land and sneak over the point
without being seen. They are spying on the settlement and watching for
Captain Simms. At any rate, they will see his boat tied up there and
realize that they have struck a home trail."
"What will we do?" asked Billy, rather helplessly.
"There's only one thing to do," said Jack with decision, "and that is to
turn back and warn Captain Simms of what is going on."
The _Curlew_ was headed about and a few moments later was in sight of
Musky Bay again.