The next moment they were both appalled by an unexpected sound. It was the soft flap of a sail. As their eyes grew more accustomed to the gloom of the thick forest trees, they could see dimly a vessel of considerable size, moored to the very rocks they had been thinking of. It was the mysterious ship of the night before. It awed them too, to see it lying so near to them with its white sails all spread, and yet not a sign of life upon it. There was something weird about it all, and Tom could hardly prevent the Siwash boy from making an immediate retreat. They continued to listen for some moments, but all remained still upon the vessel and upon the shore. "I wonder is there any one aboard of her?" Jo said in an undertone. "Keep still!" In spite of this warning, Tom was himself the first to break the silence. "Perhaps they've abandoned her." "Then where can they be?" "Do you want to know real bad?" asked Tom. "Yes!" "Well, you're good at following a night trail; just you follow that one back into the island, and you'll stand a fair show of seeing where they are." This was humor, and Jo grinned appreciatively. "Where is the gun?" Tom asked, presently. "I have it; what are we going to do?" "We're going to get that sloop out into the Sound, and sail her up to the city dock at daybreak. I'll show those customs inspectors--" "They'll say you're the smuggler." "Well, I'm going to risk it." "Perhaps they're aboard now--asleep." "Keep the gun ready, then!" The boys were making their way towards the sloop along the narrow strip of sand yet uncovered by the flood tide, but as they spoke, they stopped with one accord, for they heard a sound from the trees near by. "Cougar?" "No," whispered the Indian, "a man!" "Stand very still, then, and watch what happens." They could hear the branches being pushed aside softly, and dull footfalls upon the forest moss. Presently two dark shapes emerged upon the neighboring rocks. They were talking rapidly, but the boys could not catch what they were saying. The _Madrona_ was moving to the south of the island, and standing in towards the mouth of the slough. One of the new-comers saw the search-light. "They'll be upon us in half an hour," Tom could hear him say; "we must steer around the point, and get up the slough, where a vessel of such deep draught as theirs cannot follow us. We'll he done for if we stay here." The voice seemed familiar, but the boy was too excited to give the fancy a second thought. What he saw, only too plainly, was the easy way in which the supposed smugglers could make their escape, and, laying prudence aside, he instantly called out in what he intended to be a very commanding voice, "Ahoy there! you can't go aboard till you say who you are, and what you are doing here."