Joe, perhaps, felt more elated than did Blake, though the latter was glad that his theory in regard to the direction taken by the men had proved correct.

 

But Joe felt that now he had a better chance to prove his father innocent of the charge made against him—that he was involved with the wreckers.

 

“We’ve got ’em!” he whispered.

 

“Yes—we’ve got ’em—to get!” agreed Blake. “No slip-up this time.”

 

In whispers they consulted, and decided¹ to creep forward a short distance to make sure of their first surmise² that the men, whose voices they heard, were really the wreckers.

 

165“We want to be certain about it,” warned Blake, in a cautious whisper.

 

“That’s right,” agreed his chum. “Go ahead, and I’ll come after you.”

 

Cautiously they advanced until they were in a position to look forward and make out a number of men working on a sort of mound³ of rock that rose from the surface of the cliff.

 

“This is a better place, from their standpoint, than the other,” whispered Blake. “A light can be seen farther.”

 

“Yes, and they’re putting up the same lantern on a rock pile,” remarked Joe. Both lads recognized the apparatus⁴ they had seen before. The men were busily engaged in setting it in place, evidently working fast to make up for lost time.

 

“It’s the same gang,” observed Blake; “and they must know of some vessel⁵ that is to pass here soon, or they wouldn’t be in such a hurry. Probably they count on the steersman mistaking this light for the one at Rockypoint, and standing

分享到：