ugh the natives had already
scattered in many directions at the coming of Ben, Buck and the boys.
"Young Smith got to us all right," said Harry to Jack and Dick, "and we
set out without delay. You must have had quite an adventure."
"So we did, and it might have been worse. Rollins is on this part of the
island, sir," to the captain. "He got in yesterday or to-day, I am not
sure which. I do not believe he has seen the man who was signaling to him
last night, and I do not think he knows anything about him. He does know
that government vessels are on the watch for him, however, and I think he
will shortly get away from here."
"I wish we could get word to them so as to stop him," growled the captain.
"These smugglers give honest traders a bad reputation, for folks think we
are all alike."
A considerable number of the Hilltop boys had come to the rescue of the
two boys, and these were now carried on the shoulders of the others, and a
triumphal march back to the vessel was begun, young Smith being taken up
as well as Jack and Dick, the boys saying that he had traveled enough for
one day and that he needed a rest.
Many of the boys had pocket lights with them, and others cut pine branches
and made torches of them so that there was light enough to show them the
way, and it was not necessary to wait for the moon to rise.
The boys sang and shouted, and made a lot of noise on the way back so that
if the smugglers or any of the natives had had any idea of attacking them
they would have been deterred by the very din.
They reached the shore at length, and were taken on board the yacht,
Bucephalus presently announcing that supper was ready, the boys having the
best of appetites for it, and making it a feast in honor of Jack, Dick and
young Jesse W., who was considered as much a hero as his older
schoolmates, and was certainly regarded so by them.
Not all the boys had gone over to the other side, some staying away on
account of the fatigue of the journey and others, noticeably Herring and
his cronies, because they were either not asked or would not have gone if
they had been.
It was a feast in honor of the three boys, nevertheless, and those who
were not ready to join in praise of the heroes were wise enough to keep
quiet and not to make any dissent.
After supper Jack and a few of the boys discussed the situation, and tried
to calculate how long it would take the vessel which Mr. Smith had sent
out to reach them.
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