“We’ve got to go before long anyhow if we’re going to get back without wading and no knowing what we’re going to get in to when we blow it,” Rogers told him. “Anyhow, there’s no great hurry about it and we’d better wait till we have plenty of time. By three o’clock this afternoon we can come back and work till dark if we want to.” “Guess you’re right as usual,” Gordon grinned, “But I sure am in a hurry to shoot off that charge. It’ll be just our luck if some fellow comes along and swipes that hole I’ve drilled.” “I guess the hole’ll be safe,” Bill told him as he began picking up their tools. “Well, let’s hurry back and——” “Get dinner,” Rogers finished. “How’d you know that was what I was going to say?” Gordon demanded as they started off on the return trip. “Ask him something sensible,” Bill broke in. “Pardon me, but it was Steve I asked,” Gordon told him. “My mistake,” Bill laughed. “Well, I’m pretty good at guessing,” Rogers explained. “A wizard, I’d say,” Gordon grinned. “I agree with you,” Bill laughed. “It’s the last thing I’d have thought of.” “Smarty.” “You bet.” But by the time dinner was ready they all confessed that they were half starved, and a little later Rogers declared that they had eaten enough for a dozen ordinary men. “Now there’s nothing to do but twiddle our thumbs till the tide goes out,” Gordon grumbled after the dishes were washed. “It might be worse,” Rogers told him. “Such as what?” Gordon demanded. “Well, someone might steal the hole.” “Which would be a catastrophe,” Bill declared. “For your shoulders?” Gordon asked. “You said something.” “Well, I guess it’s about time to start,” Gordon suggested a while later. “It’s only one o’clock,” Bill laughed. “Get out with your kidding,” Gordon told him pulling his watch from his pocket. “Why, what’s the matter with this watch? It’s stopped. No it hasn’t either,” he said, holding it to his ear. “What time have you got?” Bill asked him. “Five minutes to one.” “Which is just one minute too fast.” “Is that right, Steve?” “Just right by my time,” Rogers told him. “Can you beat it?” Gordon sighed as he returned the watch to his pocket. “We should have brought a checker board along,” Bill said. “I wish to goodness we had,” Gordon told him. “Think I’ll read a bit if you fellows don’t mind.” “Go to it,” Rogers told him. CHAPTER XIII A RESCUE Three o’clock came at last although Gordon had declared a dozen times that all their watches must have stopped. “My, but they sure do have long days out here,” he said as he closed his book and jumped to his feet. “It’s ten minutes to three and I’m going to start tide or no tide.” “Then I guess we might as well trail along,” Bill said as he picked up his load. They walked slowly down the pathway leading to the beach and had covered about half the distance when Bill called their attention to a plane flying at a high altitude and well out over the ocean. “He’s coming this way,” he declared.