United States or Chile ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !


The interval between their capture and the departure of the revenue cutter was spent in putting out the fire near Durgan's cove, all that remained of the three adjoining shanties being a heap of charred logs and wind-swept ashes.

Separating into pairs -Norton and Mark, Alec and Chester, with Billy and Dave in advance, following Durgan's and Mole's trail -they formed a line of communication between the cabin and the site of the bonfire, hoping that by thus keeping a picket line they might catch sight of Hugh or his captors beating a hasty retreat toward the shore.

It was decided not to go on board the Petrel for the few miles' trip back along the coast, but to use the Arrow, instead; for the latter would not be so easily recognized by the smugglers. "No doubt they'll have pickets posted at different points near Durgan's settlement, if, as we suspect, they have a rendezvous there," said Lieutenant Driscoll.

Long before this, the Arrow had slipped away a little farther up along the coast, so that she would be out of sight behind one of the numerous islands in case the Esperanza drew near Durgan's cove. Once the dog's barking sounded louder, and nearer, but after a minute or two it ceased, and silence reigned over all. "What's become of Dave and Billy?" wondered Chester.

Durgan's motor boat was fastened by means of a long cable to the aft rail of the Arrow, which was commissioned to tow it to a wharf at Charlotte Harbor, where it would be delivered to a brother of the smuggler. This brother, a thoroughly honest fisherman, was well known to Captain Vinton. Bego's ship, the Esperanza, remained at anchor off the cove.

Gliding through the channels between islands and keys, and keeping out of sight of watchers on the mainland as far as possible, the Arrow finally cast anchor off Palmetto Key nearly opposite Durgan's cove, and the boat made two trips ashore with Norton and the boys. Dave went with them, of course, for he was thoroughly familiar with that section of the coast.

Such seemed to be Bego's decision, also; for as Roy, Billy, and Alec drew nearer, they heard the swarthy leader directing most of his men to "shoulder arms and march over to Durgan's headquarters."

But in this scheme they reckoned without their pursuers; for the crew of the Petrel -even now hurrying to the scene of action -had received information of this very ruse, and had decided to ignore it and to make directly for Durgan's Cove.

Had Dave or Billy known this, they would not have hesitated to swim to the place, if need be to say nothing of the difficulty of going there and "borrowing" a canoe, in which they all could approach the smugglers' headquarters. Dave explained that the cabins on the cove were called "Durgan's settlement," and that the place bore a bad reputation.

The day was perfect for the return voyage, a fair breeze blew against her weather-stained sails, and the ocean was as blue as sapphire. The entire party was glad to be on the sloop's clean decks once more; even Dave seemed happy and relieved when Durgan's Cove and its outlying shores faded into a velvety green blur along the horizon.