“Yes, and get something to eat, too. Better come, Ned.”
It was really nothing more than a whim on his part to remain behind in the boat. Ned was really getting quite fond of the girl at the lighthouse, but he did not admit it, even to himself. He had a vague feeling that he would like to be alone and think.
He stretched out on some cushions in the bottom of the craft, and was star-gazing to his heart’s content. Next to the _Dartaway_ was a large sailing sloop, which was there when the boys made fast to the dock. The high sides threw a deep shadow over the motor craft. Ned was disturbed from his reveries by the sound of some one walking along the dock. It had been silent for some time, save for the distant sound of the music, and at first he believed the boys were coming back. Then he heard voices he knew were not those of his chums.
“Yes,” was the answer. “Get aboard where we can talk without being overheard, though I guess there’s no one around.”
Ned could hear the men going aboard the sailing craft. They went into the cabin, and then some one opened a port just above the boy’s head, as he was stretched out in the motor boat.
“It’s beastly hot in here,” some one said.
“Yes, been shut up all day. Now, how much have you got done?”
“Well, I’ve found the steamer’s due here in a few days now, and it’s got a valuable cargo aboard. Stuff that will float easily. We ought to be able to pick up a lot of it.”
“That’s all arranged. Bill has a job at the place and he is going to be in charge that night. It’s Hardack’s time off, and Bill will fix the lights so’s to fool the pilot of the steamer.”
“Just cover the one flash, and make only two flashes just like the North light gives.”
“Is there any one else likely to give trouble?”
“There’s only the girl, and we can easily get her out of the way. Oh, it’s going to be easy. We’ll be there to help Bill if he needs it. Now--what’s that?”
In his eagerness to listen to what the men were saying Ned had gotten up on his knees. In doing so he had knocked down a monkey wrench from a seat, and the tool fell with a clatter to the bottom of the _Dartaway_.
“Some one is listening!” he heard one of the men in the sloop exclaim.
“Nonsense,” the other replied. “It was only an oar banging against the side of the boat.”