When the boat did grate on the shore he leaped out with painter in hand and made fast to a rock. Then he returned to the boat and waited as patiently as he could for dawn. But he didn't have to do that, as it proved. He had been nodding here only half an hour perhaps when the moon, which all the night had been trying its best to elude the clouds, positively leaped into view with an effect so startling that Roy almost fell out of the boat. The moon was floating across a little pond of purple-gray sky, the banks of which were piles of fluffy white clouds like snow. But he didn't waste much time in admiring the scene. Swiftly he looked about him. He would have yelled with joy if he hadn't been so tired and sleepy, for there, not a dozen yards away along the bank was the boat-house. At first he decided to pull the boats out where they were and return to the island without them. Then he determined to see the thing through if it took all the rest of the night. So he pushed off and headed up-stream. By keeping well in toward shore he was soon in the lee of the island where no breeze could reach him. After that, it was simple work. The moon stayed out long enough to guide him to shore and then retired again. A few minutes' work on the beach sufficed to bring all the boats out of the water. He worked quietly, for he had no wish to explain the night's happenings then; he wanted only to tumble into bed and go to sleep. Softly he felt his way through the brush--it was too dark to find the path--crossed the clearing and at length found his tent and crept quietly into bed. The next thing he knew the canvas overhead was a moving pattern of sunlight and shadow and Chub was pulling him out of bed by one foot. [Illustration: "Then, slowly, he headed away in the darkness"] CHAPTER XXI FERRY HILL CHANGES ITS LEADER The presence of the strange boats on the Inner Beach was not discovered until just before breakfast. Roy had said nothing to anyone of the night's adventures. Otto Ferris was noisily hammering a spoon on a new dish-pan when Kirby burst excitedly on to the scene. "Mr. Buckman, there are three new boats on the beach, sir!" "New boats?" "Yes, sir, rowboats." "Where did they come from? Whose are they?" asked the instructor, bewilderedly. "I don't know, sir. They're not ours." "Someone must have come in the night," said Horace. "Maybe campers." "Well, after breakfast we'll have a look around," said Mr. Buckman. As soon as grace had been said Roy spoke up. "Those boats belong to Hammond, Mr. Buckman," he said. "To Hammond? How do you know, Porter? What are they doing here?" "I brought them, sir." A howl of laughter arose. Mr. Buckman smiled genially. "I suppose there's a joke somewhere," he said. "Get rid of it, Porter." "Well, yes, there is a joke, sir," answered Roy quietly. "And I guess it's on Hammond."